Seventh Pass Green
by lilybee
Summary: This story is based on the game Chronicles of Pern Dragon Riders. Lytah is unusual for a woman. Not only is she a rider of a fighting green, but her heritage gives her unusual talents. Useful if she is to help track down the cause and cure of this disease
1. reminiscence

The only good thing about a hatching ceremony in a strange place, Lytah decided, was that people were too busy to take any notice of another young body. She would then not have to listen to another well-meaning stranger wonder as to why such a pretty girl would want to wear boy's clothing. She had long given up trying to convince anyone that she preferred people to think that way. With a tall figure that, thankfully to her, was not overly generous in curves, dressed in less feminine styles, rarely did anyone question her presence in places where girls were not expected to be. Exploring caves that inevitably could be found around any of the weyrs or finding her way around labyrinths of lower caverns were two things that came to mind.

Not for the first time did Lytah wonder what the future held for her as she made her way unobtrusively into the kitchens. She had seen a lot of women today and there had been only one whose job she would even like to contemplate. But all those here were involved in the frantic activity of preparing for the crowd of extra visitors that added to the hundreds of residents of this weyr who would all want to be fed after the hatching. So no one noticed her quickly procure a handful of meat rolls and several pieces of fruit to be slipped into her small satchel as she left. Even if they did, they would likely just blame one of the weyrlings, one of the older boys who had impressed a dragon within the last few turns.

She should have been born a boy, she thought for the umpteenth time as her wanders brought her out onto the tiers above the hatching grounds. Already there were a few people finding a good seat, but she didn't stay. Her parents were likely to be here today, both Fort's weyrleader and weyrwoman were friends of theirs. Definitely her father and his position in Pernese society was high enough to be guaranteed a prime position. And with a large network of uncles and even one aunt likely to be here today, she would have no problem of finding a seat.

As a boy there might have been the chance of her becoming a dragon rider. That was the only thing that she would really want to do. But there were few queen eggs laid these days. Fewer eggs in total from the golden dragon that ruled in each of the six weyrs. So her father had said on one of the few occasions they had seen each other recently. It was because of the fact that within the next ten turns or so, this Pass would be over and dragons would no longer be needed to sear the deadly thread from the sky before it landed to devour anything organic.

There was no queen egg on the sands of Fort's hatching grounds, and only about a dozen eggs in Morath's latest clutch. Lytah could see the huge bulk of the largest of the dragon kind curled in protective watch of her brood. With her smaller bronze mate Sothath by her side, there didn't seem to be a lot of room left for the group of boys who would be shepherded in soon for the hatching dragons to choose from for their life mate.

No queen egg meant that there would be no group of girls. For even though greens were female as well as the gold, greens were fighting dragons that flew in the wings with the bronze, brown and blue dragons and so their riders were boys. Why that was so was a constant source of frustration to Lytah, she felt she could fight thread as well as any boy. It was not fair that they had all the opportunities whereas girls had only the one. None, if there was no queen.

She made her way along the edge to the steps leading onto the sands. There were a couple of boys in new white shirts in a group there to one side. They would be the boys who lived at Fort she surmised. Through the entrance to another area to one side she could glimpse a larger group being dismissed. That would be the group brought in from search going through some form of orientation.

The cavern was huge; it took a while to make her way to the outside. Though she did pause to bow low to Morath on her way out. That was one thing no one could fault Lytah on, she had a great respect for dragon kind, knew the name and rider of every senior queen dragon at the weyrs and the current weyrleaders. She could even at a stretch, come up with the names of the junior queens and most of the bronzes and riders on Pern, but she might be pushing it for locations.

Once in the sunlight, she headed away from the direction of the main weyr entrance, as that and the hatching ground were the directions for people still arriving. There were some large outcrops of rocks not too far away and it was here that she found a quiet place to sit. Not hidden, but you would have to come close to see her, and where she could watch the dragons land and take off again to fly the short distance to sun themselves along the ridge that ringed the bowl. From geography lessons she knew that Fort, like most weyrs, was formed from an old volcano. Still quietly active, as testified by the heat in the sands of the hatching grounds, but not dangerous.

She had eaten a meat roll and was just starting to peel one of the pieces of fruit, when aware that she was no longer alone. She leaned forward to peer around the edge of the outcrop of rock to watch the slight figure for a good few minutes. The boy had not noticed her, as he looked too preoccupied with his own thoughts, so she deliberately stretched out her legs to dislodge some rubble noisily. Hopefully that shouldn't scare him too much. For she had felt a sudden degree of sympathy towards him, as he reminded her of one of her quieter younger cousins. He even had the same habit of flicking back a stray lock of brown hair that fell across his eyes. She had the feeling that he was going to be another one to break a few hearts if he kept the looks and gained some height with turn.

He looked only momentarily startled before he crossed towards her.

"You're headed in the wrong direction," she said, a little more curtly than she intended. For it had just registered that he was dressed as appropriate for the new candidates. By evening his future as a dragon rider might be set. A future unlikely to ever be hers.

"If I'm having second thoughts about this whole business, maybe I'm not." He came around and sat on a low flat rock next to her.

"By the first egg." His statement had stunned her. "Why would you be thinking that? I'd give almost anything for the chance."

"Then take my place."

He didn't really mean that, she could tell. But there was something that seriously worried him. "Girls are only searched for when there is a queen egg."

"Oh sorry, I hadn't realized." At which she gave a shrug with his openly curious look.

"You weren't meant to. Here, have some fruit and tell me why you don't want to be a rider."

He took her offering obediently. Yes, he was so like Jarrid, though probably a little younger, about thirteen turns she would guess.

"I really do want to be a rider, have done so for as long as I can remember. Every tapestry I ever made showed dragons."

"You're from South Boll then?" That's where Weaver Hall was and it sounded as if he was probably an apprentice to that craft hall.

"My father is a Journeyman to the Masterweaver and I've been told that I was born with needle and thread in hand, but I never imagined that I'd end up doing that for a living. Yet I think I'd rather have that as a future than no future at all."

"What makes you say that?" She'd quietly passed across a piece of meat roll, which was eaten as absently as the fruit had been. She'd always had a talent with handling males, particularly younger ones, much to her mother's despair.

"What if I don't get chosen? Roth was just telling me what happens to unsuccessful candidates who are not of the weyr."

"And what did this Roth tell you?"

"That if you are not the right one then the dragonet would rake you to the bone with its talons. And if that doesn't happen then the queen will tear you apart and feed you to the hatchlings."

Lytah couldn't help but burst out laughing, he looked so serious. But she sobered quickly and reached for his arm when he stood angrily. "I'm sorry," she said. "You obviously have not had a lot to do with dragons."

"And you have?" He was still angry, but curiosity won through.

"I've been fostering with my uncle for the past four turns and he's a wing leader at Telgar, so yes, I have had a bit to do with dragons. First, a baby will not deliberately attack you, it would just be trying to get you out of the way so it could reach the one it wants. Then be assured, Morath would only have a piece of you if you meant harm to her rider Nalaya or any of the clutch. Roth wouldn't be a candidate himself by any chance?"

"Yes, why?"

"Sounds like he's trying to reduce the competition. Known him long?"

"Most of my life. There aren't too many kids my age at the weaver hall so I was fostered as a companion to the Lord Holder's youngest son. At sixteen, he's two turns older and he wouldn't lie to me."

"And I'm seventeen and telling you the he has done just that." She started getting to her own feet. "Come along and meet Nalaya and find out for yourself."

"Meet the weyrwoman? I can't do that."

"Of course you can. And I can also bet that she won't be too impressed with your Roth. Enough stupid things are said of dragons without such nonsense."

"No. I won't get him into trouble."

Well, he was a loyal one, that much was sure, even if that loyalty seemed misplaced. She wasn't going to do anyone any good by pushing that line then. "All right, I will not say anything. But come and meet Morath at least."

"She really won't eat me?"

"As long as you behave, I can guarantee that. I'm Lytah, by the way."

"Oh, sorry. I'm Dalkor."

This one was far too apologetic she decided as he walked with her back to the hatching ground. As they neared the queen she gave a slight smile. Her impression of this Lord Holder's son was not improving with Dalkor's conversation. She really hoped that this one would end up impressing a dragon, though not likely a bronze. He really needed to get out from under the dominance of this Roth.

She stopped at a respectful distance from Morath, bowed low under the beautiful facets of the dragon eye. The colours whirled as an indication of interest but by no means alarm. "Greetings to you Morath," she said out aloud. "I am Lytah, daughter of Masterharper Jackly and Journeywoman healer Sygull, and convey my pleasure at being allowed to attend such a prestigious occasion."

_Greetings to you Lytah._ She knew that she would be the only one to hear the words. Dragons communicated telepathically and rarely with anyone who was not a rider, their own rider more specifically. She also knew that this was a rare gift of hers, of being able to hear dragons if they so wished. _You are certainly your father's child_.

Lytah took this as a compliment. Her father was one of the most respected and well-liked men on Pern. It was not his fault that his responsibilities meant he had little time for his only child. The same also applied to her mother, which meant that the whole of Healer and Harper Halls were effectively her family, an upbringing she was only recently starting to appreciate. "I thank you for your acknowledgement. I just wished to present Dalkor to you. He has heard some tales and is a little apprehensive about the approaching hatching."

Lytah was a little surprised, but pleased, when the boy then bowed as she had done, echoed her greeting. No one was going to fault his manners. She felt the dragon's gaze shift to the other for a moment, before returning to her.

_Tell the boy that he has nothing to fear here today. For starters, there is too little meat on his bones. Though it is a shame that there is no golden egg, as you would have made a good queen rider Lytah._

The words gave her little comfort, only increased the deep ache. "Thank you Morath."

She again bowed low, led Dalkor back towards the edge of the sands as she told him of the words for him, though she kept the rest to herself. Yet she put down her sudden ill temper to the fact that even the thick soles of her boots couldn't keep out the sand heat and she was a little annoyed that he took Morath's jest so seriously.

Lytah was a little abrupt in her leaving of Dalkor not far from the room where the others were gathered, and gave herself a mental telling off for her bad manners. She wondered what the matter with her was. Until she finally realised that the low, bone deep vibrations were not of her imagining, there was a sound penetrating from outside. The dragons were crooning. A welcome for the new hatchlings. One quick glance at the eggs and she noticed a couple starting to rock on the sands and the thirty or so candidates were ushered onto the hatching ground. She ran up the stairs to slide into the first tier seat beside the Benden lady holder and ignored the baleful glare at her clothes. Her aunt never understood her preference for trouser over skirt.

The boys were directed into a circle around the outside of the group of eggs, she quickly spotted Dalkor. The big dark-haired boy that was dwarfing him must be Roth and she felt her feeling of dislike of him intensify. He was crowding the slighter boy back, which made Lytah more annoyed, before she tempered her feelings. If Dalkor were that timid, then maybe he was not cut out to be a dragon rider.

Her attention snapped back to the eggs. There was a collective sigh from the crowd as the first baby dragon emerged. A brown! He gave a cry as he looked around, before making his way unerringly to a lad on the far side. There was an incredulous look from the boy to someone up in the tiers. "His name is Arneth," he told them and there was a cheer in acknowledgement.

Then all was confusion, as the rest of the eggs seemed to hatch at once.

There were at least another two browns, a few greens and blues. She was even sure there was at least one bronze, but in the milling of boys and dragons it was hard to tell.

Movement directly below her caught her attention. There was a bronze pushing past a couple of boys in front of him and he was obviously heading for the small group of which Dalkor was one. No, it couldn't be for him. But she felt her temper flare when she saw Roth push Dalkor back. Dalkor fell heavily and as he pushed himself upright she saw blood on his sleeve. Why, that big bully!

It was only when she felt a hand on her own arm that she realized that she was standing, her aunt's look disapproving. She pulled free, but instead of sitting down, she started to head for the sands. There was movement down there anyway as experienced riders led the new pairs out of the grounds. The dragonets would need feeding after their confinement. She couldn't sit still with the need to say a few words to this Roth, maybe offer Dalkor some comfort.

So Lytah was unprepared for the sight that met her when she had worked her way through. The big boy was getting up from the ground and the bronze was bent over Dalkor. For a ridiculously awful moment she thought the dragon was attacking him until she heard Dalkor's voice soft in awe. "He says his name is Zenth."

A cry of "No!" had her spin back to Roth. He was on his feet now and she had the disbelieving realization that he intended to interrupt this moment. She stepped in front of him, to push him forcibly back against the stone under the balcony. He may be more solid than her but she was of his height and fit with it.

"It's too late, impression has been made and there is nothing you can do about it."

But his look of anguish was not directed at her or even to the dragon and his new mate. Instead it was to someone in the audience. She followed his look to see a stern looking man on his feet, expression one of distain, and it didn't take much to notice the family resemblance. Her feelings of anger softened as Roth pulled away from her. The man had already started to turn away and she thought that it was little wonder the son was as he was if that was going to be the father's reaction.

"What are you doing down there girl?" M'con, a Telgar wingleader, was leaning over the rail near her.

She gave her uncle an embarrassed smile. "Coming back up."

His lop-sided smile was not what she expected. "I don't think so."

Following the point of his finger she turned to look back onto the sands.

It was over quickly, she thought. Well, almost. There was one green dragonet left, her cries pitiful. She was pushing past the few hopeful boys that were in front of Lytah. But there was only herself and Roth left back here. She stepped aside to where Dalkor had fallen, more than a little surprised when the green gave a frantic cry at her move away, to almost throw herself at Lytah.

It was almost reflex that had her step forward to catch the faltering dragonet.

_Where have you been Lytah?_ The voice in her head was almost accusatory. _I am Natoth._

She looked into the whirling eyes and suddenly realized that this was the most beautiful creature in the whole of Pern. It took her a long while before she was able to tear herself away as what had occurred started to impact.

She was not supposed to impress! For even as she put an arm maternally around the dragon and looked up to her uncle, it was suddenly dawning on her the full enormity of what had just happened. He was leaning on the rail still, his smile now broad.

"Well Lytah, I'm glad to see you prove me right. Always knew you had the makings of a rider." M'con's look sobered then. "Mind you though, it will make things interesting."

Her thoughts were despairing. "I didn't mean to!"

"Of course you didn't. And do not start worrying and upset your green. Remember girl, it is the dragon that choses the rider. And it was fairly obvious from the start that she was looking for someone not on the sands. It was a good thing you went down as Natoth running around in the stands would not have been pleasant."

Lytah wondered how he knew her dragon's name before realising that his own bronze would have passed on the information.

"Don't worry Lytah, I think that you will find yourself suited for this life. Now, I think I will have a quiet word with my old friend S'bor. I will see you later at the banquet."

She watched him leave for a moment, until an insistent nudge gained her attention. The internal voice was demanding. _I'm hungry._

Then first things first, she thought with a smile, consciously pushing down her apprehensions. Things would work out, of that she was sure. She noticed that Dalkor stood with Zenth and an older rider and they seemed to be waiting for her, so she took this as a cue to head for them.

The elder stepped forward in greeting. "Well Lytah. D'kor has been telling me how you are the reason he is here. I am glad my search was not in vain then, for which I give you thanks. I am K'tan, rider of bronze Branth."

"Greeting K'tan and D'kor exaggerates." That suited him she thought, the abbreviation to his rider's name seemed to add height to his stature. There was obviously more to this boy than first impressions had given. As Zenth had obviously seen.

D'kor's smile to her was warm. "I'm really glad that you got your dragon. So, do we call you L'tah?"

K'tan answered for her as he started to lead them out. "They don't shorten gold riders names so I guess the precedence applies. Not that I have heard of any girls riding greens, at least not during this Pass. But come along, we'll get these two babies fed and settled, then we'll get you both sorted out."

-----------------

It was many hours later that found her sitting at the table alone. Her mother and aunt had finally finished with her and had already left. But Lytah was still musing on Sophian's final words. After all the complaints she had given a farewell hug and a sad smile. "Well Lytah, I guess my brother is right, it is for the best. Despite my hopes to the contrary, I don't think that a normal life was ever going to be yours."

There her aunt was probably right, she'd left any hope of normal well and truly behind. For a moment she reflected on her past aspirations. There was once the thought that she would follow her father and become a harper, the more covert workings of his craft was something she knew she would have been good at. But though she had a quick mind and good memory, she had no sense of subtle rhythm and no aptitude for the necessary teaching aspects of being a harper. And beyond the ability to send drum messages she couldn't play an instrument to save herself.

Then there had been a fling with her mother's profession and though she had proven quite adept in learning the ways of the plants and making potions, she just did not like working with sick people. As for the last few years, though she had developed a love of Sophian's chief export, wine production was not going to be her life's work.

Living with her uncle had definitely decided her that weyr life was more suited to her than hold. Settling down with one man was not the expected life for a woman in a weyr, dragon riders rarely formed lasting partnerships, led as they were by the instincts of their dragon. That only happened if the dragons themselves formed as close to pairs as they did. For example, Lytah knew that Morath would only let Sothath fly her, so V'kai had been Fort's weyrleader for as long as she could remember, whereas the Telgar weyrleader changed almost every season as their queen chose a different bronze. Whether the partnership of weyrleader and weyrwoman lasted beyond the duration of the mating flight depended on the temperaments of both dragons and riders. And though only bronzes flew golds, greens could be flown by any blue or brown, or even bronze that could catch her.

The reality of that hit her then. She had been at Telgar when a green had taken off in flight, pursued by the males of the weyr. It had taken her a while, but she had finally managed to talk M'con into explaining, at least in part, the ecstasy experienced by a rider as his dragon's emotions overwhelmed him. And as both riders of green and male dragons were men, it was the women of the weyr that would help them in such times. As well as aid the tension of the unsuccessful.

But it was going to be different for her. When Natoth eventually rose for her mating flight during her second or so turn, it was she, Lytah, that was going to join with the rider of whichever dragon flew her. She stifled a giggle at the, unfortunately, not so ridiculous thought that it could be someone as old as K'tan, who seemed to be even older than her father. She had better keep that thought in mind as she settled into her new home.

And there was another new thought. After all the years of living in one place after another, travelling from craft hall to hold to weyr, Fort was now her home. And she hadn't got a thing of her own here, had only what she stood in. Or more precisely, sat in.

A hand light on her shoulder startled her aware. She looked up to see Fort's weyrwoman standing to one side. "Lytah, it seems that they have finally left you alone."

"So it seems. I'm sorry Nalaya, I didn't mean to cause you so much trouble."

"That is not what I have heard. According to your mother, she's not surprised at all as it seems you've always been contrary. Now, don't look so upset child, of course I know that you didn't do any of this deliberately. And it is not fair of me to tease you, when you must be exhausted. It is time for you to come with me, I've had a spare bed made up for you in my rooms."

Lytah found her protest at such privileged treatment cut short. "Nonsense. It will take the boys some time to work out what they will do with you, find you a place of your own that can give you some privacy, as you will get enough attention from them anyway.

Ah, I see you already realise that. But in the meantime you will stay with me, it has been too long since I could look forward to the companionship of another female rider. We should become good friends."


	2. after wake

Good friends they had become, despite the big difference in age, Lytah mused. Until now. She swallowed hard and tried to down the hard lump. Nalaya had lived a long and fruitful life. It was probably only her that thought Nalaya's death by a strange illness, untimely.

Still, Lytah thought that Nalaya would have approved of the way that the whole weyr had remembered the weyrwoman's life. Most of Fort's five hundred or so dragon riders had celebrated in the great hall last night, and Lytah's own Alpha wing had continued the party on in their own part of the weyr well into the morning. In a way she was glad that she hadn't felt the desire to indulge in the supplies sent by her aunt for the occasion as much as some of her fellow wing members. There were going to be some interesting repercussions for some of the events of last night. She gave a slight smile; it was going to be an interesting day.

_I'm hungry._ Natoth's sleepy thoughts disturbed her own. Lytah closed the book she had been reading, her old journal, documenting her arrival here, five, or was it six, turns ago now? Getting up from the table she unhooked her jacket from the back of the chair before crossing the room and passing through the curtain into her smaller bedroom. This was the only concession made to her gender, on Nalaya's insistence. The rooms might be smaller than those of the other riders, but her bedroom was separate from her living / study area. A girl needed her privacy, she had been told. All the more important if she rode a green. Still, it had taken a while to feel comfortable in quarters designed for a young junior queen.

From her bedroom another curtain led out onto the ledge that was Natoth's sleeping area. That led directly into the bowl itself. She shrugged into the fur-trimmed jacket gladly, the morning mist was damp and cold and only just starting to burn off. She could change into warmer clothing, including full riding gear, but she had no intention of flying anywhere else at this time, so she would not need to rug up for protection from the freezing nothingness that was the between travelled by dragons, as they transferred from one place on Pern instantly to another.

"You are always hungry," she chided her dragon good-naturedly, moving to her side to scratch above her eye ridges affectionately. The feeling of loneliness disappeared instantly in the love in the dragon's gaze. Certainly she might be the only female rider at the moment in Fort Weyr, but in a few short weeks the queen egg on the sands would hatch and there would be a new weyrwoman.

Lytah smiled in memory. There was once a time when she thought that she might have liked that job, but she now knew better. The responsibilities, but more especially the restrictions, that went with that position would have stifled her.

She liked what she was now doing and would have even more time to pursue her own interests, now that Alpha Wing's responsibilities to fighting thread was effectively ended. Thread still fell, but less often, and by the time the roster cycled back to Alpha Wing through all the others of Fort, this Pass should be well and truly over. A life without the threat of thread? That was something beyond her experience.

Characteristically Natoth replied to her thoughts. _We will keep busy._

"Yes, we will," she agreed, thinking how much more use her father was likely to make of her once he found out that she was no longer so committed to fighting thread. Well, she would cross that bridge when she came to it. "But in the meantime, shall we get you breakfasted while it is still quiet?"

_It will be a while before the others wake_, Natoth informed her as Lytah finished buckling on the riding straps. For even though it was only a short direct flight to the feeding grounds, accidents still could happen. Thanks to J'cob, she did a thorough check almost automatically, the weyrling master's lessons well instilled. She had great respect for the man, even if she had felt the hard edge of his walking cane on more than one occasion. He was harsh but fair and she liked him all the more for never showing her any favouritism, glad too that she had come under his tutelage. It was not by chance that the best riders in the weyr were his students.

Natoth bent her foreleg to allow Lytah to climb up to her seat on the dragon's shoulders. Natoth then walked to the edge of the balcony before launching herself into the air. There was the familiar stomach drop before the great wings spread to catch the air. Lytah felt the muscles beneath her legs bunch and relax as the thin expanse of iridescent green membrane beat the air.

As they passed over the bowl, Lytah noticed that the Benden caravan was preparing to leave. Located on the other side of the Northern continent, Benden was not beholden to Fort as Fort was supplied by tithes from the Holds of Fort, Ruatha and South Boll. But no place was going to pass up the chance to sample some of Benden's famous exports. It looked like they were getting ready to leave early today, so if she wanted to get a message to her aunt, she had better do it now.

Lytah dismounted on the high ledge as Natoth surveyed the animals below. She certainly approved of her dragon's hunting style. Natoth would spend time selecting her target carefully before a short flight, clean kill and then back to the ledge for a neat feed. For though the big heavy birds were stupid and thankfully short on memory, she really did not like the way some other riders let their beasts scare the fowl senseless.

She found a rock that had already started to become sun warmed to settle against. Again she thanked the deities for the unconscious habit of always wearing a small satchel. Not the one she had first brought to Fort, though she still had that. This one was a present from D'kor during their first year here, though she had never found out how he had discovered the date of her nameday. It was a clever little bag with separate compartments for parchment and a small writing set, as well as room for small items and a little water bottle. Her survival kit, and it had come in handy on more than one occasion. Made even more special when their mutual friend N'eth had confided to her that D'kor had fashioned the green dragon on the front flap himself. The boy would have made a craftmaster there.

But that had been a few turns ago, and though their small group always remembered each other's namedays, that first one had been special.

As she ground some ink into a little water she though of the others. Even in the context of riders, theirs was an unusual group. B'rak was the eldest, well into his third decade, if not his fourth, rider of blue Henth. A friendly easy-going man with a love of the dice that occasionally got him into trouble. Then there was L'tul who rode brown Nikolath. A handsome elegant man, his sense of tradition and avoidance of any politicking made him a strange member of the group, though his sensibleness added a necessary restraint on the whole. Especially for the more lively T'men who rode brown Katath and the flamboyant N'eth on green Azoth. That those four were close friends was understandable, they had known each other for turns. In fact it was rare that Azoth was not flown by either Katath, Nikolath or Henth.

What had been surprising was that they had adopted the two misfits of the weyr when they had been brought into Alpha wing on the completion of their training. And misfits she and her friend were.

Serious, quiet D'kor was the youngest rider in the weyr and the youngest bronze rider by a full ten turns. That age difference doubled when you restricted it to their Alpha Wing. That three of those in particular had made it their life's work to educate the boy and bring him out of his reserve was evident. In fact Zenth's first mating flight had been for Azoth and it had been one of the few times where she had been glad that she had not been around. Though it hadn't been him that had told her, she found out that it had been D'kor's first time as well. According to B'rak, sixteen was more than old enough.

Then there was her. As if being a girl rider of a fighting dragon was not different enough, the fact that she was more male in attitude and manner than some of the other green riders certainly set her apart. Then there was the newfound relationship that she had with her father now. She had been surprised as to how enthusiastic he had been about her new role in life, until she realised how useful she had become to him. She had always had a fascination for the more intriguing aspects of her father's craft and now found herself a valuable tool for him. A rider who was part harper was welcome indeed, especially one who had the contacts that she had.

She was grateful that her group of friends was always forthcoming with information for her, B'rak in particular with his extensive network, and she had made it a policy right from the start that she would always be honest with them. They may not know specifics, but they were always willing to help her with harper business. Still, it always intrigued her as to what benefit they derived from her friendship.

That she and D'kor would end up as friends had been pretty much established the first time they had met. As both strangers in a new world, they had been drawn together as well as with circumstance. Both S'bor and K'tan were members of Alpha wing and both felt a duty to look after each of them. S'bor on request from her uncle M'con she knew and K'tan because he had found the young D'kor on search. But she had always looked on her relationship with D'kor as an almost brother/sister type, even if as both only children she was not certain that is the way it was. Well, she had until last night.

Benden wine had certainly brought out some aspects of her friend's personalities that she had not suspected. Even though she had seen a few of them under the influence of drink before, the extent of some of their behaviour had taken even her by surprise. N'eth was going to find himself in serious trouble today she thought, and even B'rak was not going to find this day a pleasant one.

But it had been D'kor that had taken her by real surprise. She knew that he rarely drank to that extent and she had never been around before to see what he was like in that state. She was certainly unprepared for the fact that the attention he payed her went way beyond brotherly affection. Probably her own fault in part, or maybe she should blame her aunt. For though the woman never forgot to send her a nameday present of clothes, this time she had sent something that Lytah had actually considered wearing. The cream shirt had only a hint of frill around a low cut neckline and the green embroidery was subtle. Black pants were figure-hugging and made of a shiny material, complemented by a pair of new black boots. She hadn't realized how different she must have seemed when she wore the outfit to the party last night. At least not until the reaction from her friends, one in particular. It had been only then that she fully recognised how far D'kor had actually grown into the handsome young man that she always knew he would become.

Not that she would ever consider anything beyond friendship with him, or any man for that matter. Even before Natoth's first mating flight, she had known that a settled serious relationship was out of her equation, for which she was grateful.

It had always been a source of concern that she couldn't live up to the expectations of the female members of her family, that she was a disappointment to them even before she impressed. It was a relief to have an excuse not to commit, even if she was nowhere near as promiscuous as other green riders, tried to be a little more selective and discrete with those times as she could.

Still, it was going to be interesting to see D'kor's reaction to her the next time they met. Assuming of course that he would remember anything about the later part of the evening, or should she say morning. Though to think on it, she was going to be surprised if he did, so she may be concerned about nothing. Yet there were going to be some interesting conversations with her and three others of their group, as she had the impression that they were as surprised at D'kor's behaviour as she was. She didn't think that N'eth would be involved as he was as far gone in the drink as the bronze rider.

Lytah finished writing quite a long letter to her aunt, thanking her for the present and giving her some account of subsequent events. That would please Sophian no end, of that Lytah was certain. She packed away her writing implements, tied up the scroll and addressed it, before waking up Natoth from her doze. The green had made an adequate meal of two of the fowl and was making use of the sun while Lytah was occupied.

But instead of heading back to her weyr, she asked Natoth to drop her off by the caravan on the ground. She then suggested that the dragon find a nice place on the heights to sun. She would walk back.

"Hello Perry," she said as she walked towards the older man who had broken from his conversation with another to head towards her.

"Well, if it isn't Lytah." His greeting was breathtaking in the severity of the hug. "Haven't you grown since the last time I saw you?"

"In more ways than one, old friend. If I had known it was you that had brought the supplies I would have sought you out sooner. For it looks like I will have to wait for another time to catch up on news."

"That you will. I am just waiting for young Fin and then I will be off."

Fin was here as well? Then that could only mean a message to her from her father, his young apprentice was often used to do such. Well, if she didn't meet him on her way back then she would have to wait to read what he had probably left.

"I'm glad to have caught you then, even if only for a quick hello. But the reason I stopped by was to ask if a message could be delivered to Sophian."

"No problem at all, though she will be pleased that you had a use for her gifts."

Lytah was startled for a moment, before she gave a laugh. "I should have remembered, nothing gets past you. Though tell her that I intend to indulge in her private supply to me at a quieter time."

Sophian always sent her enough wine for her own personal use that, with some judicial arrangement, managed to last her and her friends generally the full turn until the next shipment arrived. "Thank you Perry, and I promise that I will pay a visit to you soon." She gave him a long hug. "Now I will let you get back to your business."

"Your aunt will be pleased to hear that, as well as get this message so soon. Until next time then."

She started to walk away, but turned slightly to face him at his call. "Oh, and Lytah, have a nice nameday today."

"Thankyou Perry. But though I cannot guarantee it will be nice, I will give you my word that it will be interesting."

Lytah decided that an easy run was going to be the best way to move for the sit in the sun had not been all that warm. And though Natoth had had something to eat, she was achingly aware of her own empty belly.

Her reception from Tom in the kitchen was not unexpected, even if she was a little surprised as to the level of antagonism directed at her personally. She normally had a good relationship with the head cook, often supplying him with hard to find plants for the more exotic of his recipes, but you would not have thought that with his reaction to her this morning. It was as if he was going to take out his displeasure for one of her close friends on the whole group. The whole of the wing more probably, she decided as the conversation progressed. Not that he was unjustified in his anger; she had better go and have a word with N'eth when she had finished here. One did not make enemies with any of the staff in the weyr if you wished for your life to have some degree of comfort.

It took a fair amount of time and a lot of her considerable negotiating skills to mollify his temper to the stage where he was not going to kill any green rider on sight, one in particular. Still it might be worth sending someone else to pour more oil on these troubled waters before she sent N'eth himself to atone. D'kor probably, he had enough tact and diplomacy to deal with this. If he was well enough, she thought with an inward smile.

Still, she eventually calmed Tom enough to coax a few meat rolls from him. His apprentice Urik was a little more generous, she managed to get a whole pitcher of klah from him. Which was sufficient for her needs for the moment. She doubted that she would find anyone in a state to share in her food, but there was no one likely to refuse the stimulating hot drink. As she left, she quietly borrowed a couple of mugs as well.

As expected, N'eth was highly agitated, as well as grateful for the drink. She was surprised that he had some memory of pulling a knife on someone during the course of the evening, but was concerned for his safety until he could work out who it had been and seen them to make amends.

Though he was justifiably worried when she told him it had been Tom. "I'm in trouble for sure, I may as well leave the weyr now."

"I wouldn't go quite that far, though I'd leave it for a little while before you see him for yourself. It might be a good idea for someone like T'men or D'kor to have a word with him also."

"Well D'kor has just left here and said he would make some enquiries on my behalf, so I might just wait until he returns."

"Then if I see him before he finds Tom himself, I'll point him in the right direction. But it is surprising that he is up and about already after last night."

"Isn't it?" Despite his own problems N'eth was always ready for gossip. His grin was infectious. "So, am I allowed to ask if things got as far as they seemed to be going?"

"Of course you are not allowed to ask, but since when has that ever stopped you?" She returned his grin, even if surprised that he had any memory of what had happened. "But to put you out of your misery there, as you will have enough from other quarters today, no. I wasn't drunk enough."

"It would be interesting to see what would have happened if you had been."

"Not likely, I like to have my wits about me. Besides N'eth, I thoroughly enjoy my life just the way it is; I don't need those sorts of complications. And I am nothing if not a realist."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Bronzes fly the queen. And you tell me who you would prefer to work under as weyrleader in the distant future, D'kor or that overbearing braggart Ch'dan?"

"I cannot see D'kor in that position."

"At the moment, nor can I. But then, I never saw him as a bronze rider either. The fellow is full of surprises I would bet. But as soon as this clutch hatches, Morath will go between and the new gold will be our queen. And even if this hatching gives us a couple more bronzes, it is more than likely that it will be Zenth or Tanneth that flies her. I am not going to risk ending up with Ch'dan because of some naïve romantic notions in D'kor's head. He's still a kid N'eth, I don't intend to give him any encouragement along those lines."

N'eth's smile was warm. "And you're not a kid yourself Lytah?"

She laughed. "Me? Never. At least not that I am aware of, not with my upbringing. And I think that if you talk to my father, he'll tell you that I have never been one either. But enough of that, was there any other reason for D'kor to be up and about this early?"

"It seems that S'bor has asked him to remind all of Alpha wing about the meeting this morning. Though you will have to ask him for details, I cannot recall what the timing of that was. I don't imagine it to be too early."

"Nor do I. Well, I'll leave you now to work out what you are going to say to Tom. Though I must say a word in your defence, I think there was something to your complaints last night. I know I didn't have much of the meat myself due to its strange taste."

"Thanks ever so much. But before you go, I have something for you."

He walked away to a shelf then to take a box from there before coming back to her. She caught her breath when opening the lid revealed six glass goblets. Taking one out she saw that the bowl was clear but the stem was coloured with streaks of brown. "Its from the four of us. D'kor said that he would prefer to do something for himself."

"Oh N'eth, they are beautiful."

"Actually, you have either L'tul's or T'men's glass there." He had reached in and pulled out another. This one had green in the stem. "There is one for each of us. Two greens, a blue, two browns and a bronze. Happy nameday."

"Thank you. And we must make it a point very soon of christening these the next time we happen to be in the same place at the same time."

"Let's at least try and make that before your next nameday."

Lytah found Fin sitting at the table in her room. He closed her journal as she approached to put the pitcher, cup and present on the table. That didn't surprise her in the slightest, her father had often said that her personal reports were more informative than official versions and she had long ago learnt to trust Fin's discretion with her more personal entries. He refused her offer of a cup of klah, so she sat opposite to drink it instead as she had the impression he was in no hurry to leave.

"You have word then rather than just a message Fin?"

"Jackly didn't want anything in writing, but he wanted you to know that he agrees with your suspicions in that your weyrwoman's death was not natural."

That was a relief. If her father accepted her last report, then maybe she could put away the feeling of slight paranoia. So, he too found it strange that Nalaya could pick up a disease of a cold climate from Ista, a tropical one.

Fin continued. "More than that, he is of the opinion the disease is not unlike that chronicled in Moreta's Ride."

She felt a lump harden in her stomach. "By the first egg Fin, I hope he is wrong." That plague, nearly five hundred turns ago at the end of the last Pass, was devastating.

"So too does he wish. But every indication from Healer hall is that he is not. Already they are far too busy with an overload of what sounds like your weyrwoman's disease.

Keep that to yourself until I can give you his conformation. No need to start a panic."

"So what can I do?"

"Make your suspicions a little more widely known. Fort needs to be on guard and if the suggestion comes from within their own ranks, then the riders are going to be more alert to any danger. Especially if they are going to be out and about if search is called."

"I'll try my best."

Fin's raised brow showed that he did not miss the note of doubt in her voice. "I can understand that your older riders can be a little reticent about taking suggestions from more recent members, but Jackly has full confidence in your powers of persuasion."

"I'm glad someone does. But I will at least mention my concerns regarding Nalaya's death to the wing meeting later. At least I can put the idea in their heads, to then work on individuals quietly at a later stage."

"Especially your young friend D'kor."

He thoughts regarding her father were suddenly wary. "Why single out D'kor?"

"No reason." She could tell that was not strictly true, but there was no point in attempting to gain more. "It is just that I have seen S'bor, to pass on Harper Hall's condolences, and he mentioned that D'kor was to be sent on search. So I made a point to introduce myself as he will probably end up at Fort Hold and I'm likely to see him around Harper Hall."

The next time she saw her father she was going to have strong words with him about using her friends without her involvement. Jackly was unlikely to be as open with them as she was.

"Was there anything else Fin?"

"Nothing else that is not in a letter from your father. I had better be going as Perry wants to be off early." He was on his feet. "Till next time we meet, fair weather and clear skies. By the way, have a pleasant nameday Lytah."

"Pleasant is not the word I would use," she said, to get his laugh as he left.

The last of her drink was cold, making her grimace as she swallowed. Still, it added moisture to a suddenly dry mouth as the veiled words in her father's letter expanded on Fin's conversation. It was going to be a challenge to subtly get her fellow riders on the guard that suddenly seemed to be all too necessary.

Yet someone was coming.

Sitting with her back to the doorway, she used the sound of his footfall to identify D'kor. Confirmed when he came to sit casually in the chair opposite, pour himself some klah. It would only be warm by now but he didn't seem to mind. She studied him while he drank.

His manner indicated that he remembered nothing of his suggestions to her last night. His pale complexion gave her reason why.

"Good morning D'kor."

She gave a slight smile as he winced with the nod of head in greeting. She doubted that he even remembered what day it was, given his attitude. Especially its significance to her. She continued. "You looked like you were having fun last night."

"I was, what little I remember of it."

"Nalaya would be pleased to know we celebrated her life so vigorously."

He poured the last from the pitcher into the cup. "And some more vigorously than others."

There was the lead in she had hoped he would provide. "You mean N'eth? He made a proper display of himself, so I hear. I didn't see anything…" Not strictly true but it suited her purposes for him to make his own discoveries. "…but rumours are flying this morning, about him and one of the kitchen staff."

That gained his interest, looked like she had provided him with some direction. "Yes. I've already spoken to N'eth and it seems that he…"

Pulled a knife on Tom after getting into an argument about the taste of the herdbeast? She finished his sentence in her thoughts as he trailed off and she could tell that he didn't want to embarrass their friend further by adding to those rumours himself.

"Never mind that now. Actually I am glad you're here. I found this book in the gambling hall last night and I don't know who it belongs to. You've been out and about this morning, would you happen to know anything about it?"

"Actually I might. I saw Lockenn this morning and he said that he had lost a book. I'll take it for you if you like, I've still a bit to do."

"So what has you up and about so early?"

"Just a couple of little jobs. S'bor asked me to remind all of Alpha about the meeting just before lunch. K'tan decided that a little refresher course in knife combat was needed, to make me pay for him having to take it off me last night I would bet.

V'hul asked me to deliver a ballad to F'ben and I get the usual from him as well as getting the brunt of S'lon's renewed displeasure regarding S'bor. Jim's gone missing and I promised Gillian I'd look for him. At least you have helped me with Lockenn's problem. And then there's N'eth."

She had to laugh at the chagrin in his tone. "And I bet that all you wanted was a nice quiet day. How's the head?"

"The klah has helped, but not much."

"They say that Tom has the best cures for too much wine."

Actually it was Urik that was the wizard with hangover cures, but he would be in the kitchens at this hour and it would get D'kor in the right direction.

"Then the kitchens it is, before Zenth complains again about me setting him on edge. I'll catch you at the meeting."

He was on his feet at that. She was a little surprised that he hadn't even thanked her for the drink. Not like him at all, he must be feeling unwell. She stood herself and started tidying her table. He had almost reached the entrance when she moved the box of glasses. She felt an unusual desire to tease him somewhat.

"D'kor?"

He stopped with his back to her, before turning his head slightly in her direction. "Yes?"

"Do you know what day it is?" It was fairly obvious that he didn't. "The same day it was when you found me that pearl last turn."

Shaffit! She could have kicked herself for saying that, for the words had also reminded her as to how much trouble that had caused. So much for trying to be subtle, nothing like having things backfire on you. Maybe Zenth could help her.

"Your nameday?"

_Zenth!_ Her thoughts were only partly on her conversation with D'kor as she mentally called for his dragon. _I've done something stupid here, please help._

"Could be D'kor, could be."

_What can I do for you Lytah?_

Remind D'kor what trouble finding me a present last turn caused, he cannot afford to let his duties to the weyr slip again.

"But don't worry yourself with it." And that she meant. It was hard to keep her tone light. "I'm sure you have more important things on your mind."

_It might be useful to remind him that bronzes are not for greens._

"Hmm."

D'kor's stance stiffened, Lytah could tell that he was in communication with his dragon. And it wasn't hard to tell what he thought of the conversation, not with the clenching of his fists. Confirmed in his tone when he spoke aloud. "I know Zenth, I know." It was a moment later that he strode from the room.

_Lytah, I did as you asked, but D'kor is not pleased._

It felt more comfortable to speak out aloud, possible now that D'kor had left. "I'm sorry for making it so awkward for you Zenth, but it would be better coming from you than me. He's got better things to do than be distracted by irrelevant silly quests."

_True enough, but I do not fully understand your concerns. D'kor likes you as I like Natoth. Why would you not wish me to fly her?_

"That is not it at all Zenth. Unfortunately humans are a lot more complicated than you dragons. But be assured I like both you and D'kor a great deal and count you both as dear friends."

_As do I_. Natoth's thoughts joined them. Lytah found this situation more than a little strange. She knew that dragon and rider shared a strong emotional bond, but had never discussed it, especially concerning other dragons and their riders.

"Of course dear heart." She smothered her concerns raised by Natoth's thoughts, she was sure she stifled her dragon enough as it was. But of all the dragons she could show a preference for, she hoped it really was not that one. Not in regard to Zenth personally, he was the biggest and strongest of all of Fort's males, a magnificent beast.

_But Zenth assumes a great deal if he thinks I will let him catch me. I might not be as big as he is, but I am faster and more agile, definitely have as much stamina. And there are some worthy browns at Telgar._

_Browns?_ Zenth was obviously insulted by that. _You would compare me to a mere brown?_ Lytah gave a relieved smile as the dragons' presence receded from her mind as they continued their conversation without her. Still it was a situation that she was going to have to remain aware of.

-------------- ---------------------------------

D'kor sat at the table in his quarters, absently playing with his knife. K'tan would probably be waiting for him already. In fact D'kor would not be surprised if the elder was not already on his way here to find out the reasons for the delay. And K'tan was not going to be pleased to find that there were none. Except that D'kor had just needed a few minutes of peace and quiet.

Shards, what a morning it had been. He had been busier in these past few hours, more than in the past sevenday, and there looked like no easing up of the situation. Not that he hadn't expected to be sent on Search. As the rider of the youngest bronze in his wing, it made perfect sense. In turns to come Zenth would probably be the main competitor to fly the new queen. Which would mean that D'kor and the queen rider would have to develop some sort of rapport. That would also include….

D'kor had to forcibly stop himself from driving the point of his knife into the table. He had got himself into enough trouble last night with trying to carve his name into a table in the hall, but he had no memory of that event. In fact, most of the latter part of the night was more than a little foggy.

Shaffit! What had he been thinking? Not that he didn't drink on occasion, but not to that extent when one particular person was around. And just when he needed a peaceful day to try and work out how much damage control was needed, he'd been sent on Search.

The knife was allowed to drop to the table as he stood. Leaning against the stone mantelpiece, he gazed into the fire. As a young bronze rider there was the expectation and training that he would be aspiring to be weyrleader one day. But that was an unlikely possibility for way in the future. Until now.

For a gold egg lay on the sands. And now with Nalaya gone, once the eggs hatched, Morath would go between and not come back. Which will mean that the new queen's rider will be weyrwoman. With the rider of the bronze that flew the queen becoming weyrleader. In two to three turns.

D'kor was not pleased. He knew it was because things were moving fast out of his control and he did not like that in the slightest. He was one to sit back and think on things, look and plan for all possible contingencies. Even S'bor had said on occasion that D'kor was too cautious. Until last night.

Under N'eth's guidance, D'kor had thrown caution to the winds. And all he had got for it was a hangover and a busy day.

Though there was something else. But to work on that he needed a clearer head, hours of thinking time and quiet meaningful chats with the one who knew him the best.

Lytah. He has the suspicion that all of those barriers that he had carefully built had been allowed to crumble last night. B'rak and N'eth he could have expected some comment from, but even T'men and L'tul had given him hints to that effect.

So he needed to swallow his pride and ask directly the one person who would have been sober enough to know, who was also the last person he could ask.

Especially now. Because for all his forward thinking and planning there was one thing he had never considered a possibility. Zenth did not approve.

A hail from the entrance to his room pulled D'kor from his thoughts, with some little relief. For he had a strong feeling that this was one problem he was going to need more than a couple of hours to think through.

------------------------ -----------------------------------------

Though it was a relief in one way, Lytah was still becoming increasingly worried with just how seriously her wingleader was taking her concerns. S'bor had requested that she stay behind and without such direct orders to the others of Alpha wing, it had only been in the last few minutes that they had been finally left alone. Yet that had been long enough to let her know that, despite his earlier words, S'bor was also uneasy regarding Nalaya's death. For thought it was comforting that she had her wing leader's support, it was not comforting to feel that her fears were right.

S'bor's sudden silence caught her by surprise. She followed his gaze with one of her own back over her shoulder, in time to see K'tan leave the area of his quarters. D'kor was at his side and she knew the young rider too well not to know that his look to her indicated a wish to have a talk.

But they both had more pressing needs. She gave him a wave in acknowledgement, a slight pattern made with her fingers to get his nod. They would chat later. Before her attention was drawn more fully to K'tan. As she watched the men cross to the stairs to take them down, she thought to her dragon.

_Natoth. Could you ask Branth to keep a close watch on K'tan. He hasn't seemed well for the past couple of days and I thought he was getting better._

She could have spoken directly to Branth but found it difficult to bethink the older bronze and she didn't want to talk aloud with S'bor around. Her ability to communicate with all dragons was not something she let be known.

_Branth is concerned and will do as you ask. K'tan woke unwell and has been getting worse all morning. He is too hot and has a nasty cough._

Lytah liked the sound of none of that. She had almost made up her mind to chase after K'tan herself when S'bor spoke. "K'tan is getting worse, don't you think?"

Lytah turned back to him, feeling herself start to anger. "So why send him out on search?"

"Can you think of a better excuse to get him to Fort Hold? If I said that I wanted him to see the Masterhealer, do you think he would have gone? We cannot deal with what he has, here."

Lytah felt her worry turn to an icy lump in her stomach. "It cannot be the same as Nalaya." Yet even as she spoke the words, she knew their lie. "S'bor, what can I do?"

"Research. Fin tells me that Healer Hall is concerned that it is the same plague that Moreta dealt with. She was weyrwoman here during that time, so I want you to go through all our records and see what you can find. I have already told Mishra that you have unlimited access to all records and she is to help you as much as she can." His request took her by surprise. It was the first time he had ever given her such a serious assignment, as well as effective unlimited access to anywhere in the weyr. Something unheard of for the lowest of the rider ranks. "Why me wingleader?"

"Because you are the best for the job. Your harper background will ensure your effective search and your healer training will let you know when you have found it. You would be the next best thing to having Moreta here herself."

Lytah felt uncomfortable under such high words of praise. Specifically with S'bor giving them, as he was not one to compliment lightly.

"But, Lytah, do not think I am doing you any favours here. I want results and I want them now. Yesterday, if possible. Thread still falls and we loose too many to it, to waste lives to some disease."

Almost as if to emphasise his words, Lytah found herself fighting an overpowering surge of grief. A split second later the very air itself reverberated to the deep sound of hundreds of dragon voices, raised in the dreadful keening that told of the death of one of their number. With eyes stung with the threat of tears, she turned to S'bor, even as the sound died to an ache deep in her bones.

"It was H'trons. Old as well as ill, he was not likely to fight this off. Lytah, make sure we do not loose any more."

The weight of such responsibility settled heavy as she stood.


	3. cure found

Lytah was thoughtful as she entered her weyr. Almost absently she put the fresh lot of skins she had borrowed onto her table. Now exactly what was her wingleader up to? Not with calling a second meeting of their wing, for with the current situation a replacement for K'tan needed to be found, but with suggesting F'ben as a replacement? Or did he actually mean to bring into the open all those simmering undercurrents?

For if F'ben did not feel off side before that meeting, what would be the betting that he did now? Which would also further divide V'hul. And S'lon could only take it as a further slight to his abilities with not even being given a recommendation.

The only one to come out of this with any positive was D'kor. Never before had she seen him as decisive and outspoken as ha had been today. And the more responsibility that he was asked to take on, the more he seemed to thrive. The number of affirmative decisions being made certainly outweighed the quiet caution he was more noted for. Authority sat well on him.

Which certainly made things interesting for her. D'kor was her best friend but he was also a bronze rider. And the talents that were emerging to prove that role both justified her relationship while at the same time highlighting the necessity for it not being able to go further. She was not going to be responsible for holding him back from his full potential with any sense of commitment to her.

Thoughts which pulled her up short. Did this mean that she actually wanted those suggestions to be more than drunken ramblings? No, that must not be allowed!

_Am I not good enough for a bronze?_ Natoth's distress had her bolt through her bedroom to the green's weyr. Mentally she scolded herself to letting her worries get into concentrated thought while Natoth was awake. She flung her arms wide to embrace the green snout.

"Oh dear heart, that is not it at all!"

_Then why do you not approve of Zenth?_

"It is not Zenth I am worried about. Nor am I concerned about you. But bronzes fly the queen. It is his rider that may be a problem."

_You should not let your feelings for D'kor cloud your judgement as you do both him and yourself disservice with such concerns. Duty to the weyr does not have to conflict with personal wants. Zenth understands that D'kor is working that out. You just need to realise the same._

Lytah was more than a little surprised by that, could think of no immediate reply.

-----------------------

What was she missing! Lytah felt herself sway slightly with the sudden feeling of light-headedness. She hoped that the ache behind her eyes was just due to the lack of sleep. Given circumstances, quite likely. A realization which helped push down the start of panic. Went nowhere near doing a thing for the feeling of helpless frustration though. She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, before she again looked around her room. It had to be here!

Her table was covered with journals from her shelves, others strewn on the now emptier shelves. The rug was covered with skins taken from the weyrwoman's own collection, overlapping others borrowed from the weyrleader's reading room. A veritable mountain of literature, which she had gone through at least once already. So how had she missed it? Moreta had been the weyrwoman at Fort during the last Pass; it had been her exploits that had become the subject of legend and ballad. Lytah had even found some of the writings from the woman herself. It had been only then that Lytah had realized that Moreta was as much an incredible healer herself as she was weyrwoman. Still, Lockenn was going to have a fit if he ever saw this.

"Lytah?"

Almost guiltily she turned to find D'kor, annoyed then at her reaction. She had nothing to feel guilty about. "Not now D'kor. I'm busy." No, that was bad manners. So was he busy and it wasn't fair to take out her frustration on him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Please come in."

He turned back around to enter the room fully. He gave a look of query to the chaos that was evident. "You look like you are having as much fun this morning as I am."

"This is driving me crazy. We know that the disease is like the epidemic from last Pass and that the healer from Moreta's time found a way to deal with it. But that was by vaccination, not cure."

"Why is that a problem this time?"

"You have to have someone survive the disease before you can use their blood to make serum. As well as have the time for any recovery. This is only the second day since Nalaya's wake and it could take four days for the disease to even appear. At least from the records we know that we have to use the senior dragons to keep the sillier ones, green and blue in particular, calm when their riders fall to the fever. Then, of course, there is my one real nagging problem."

She was pacing the small strip of floor free of skins, barely noticed that he had gone to her table. He had found a scrap of parchment and was writing something.

She stopped to look up as he asked, "Only one?"

"Well, you tell me then? Why is it that K'tan is the only member of Alpha wing to have come down with the disease? Every other wing already has more than a fair percentage of riders sickening."

"That's easy." He finished writing, shook the piece to dry the ink. "No other wing has an ex-apprentice healer in their midst and you could never convince K'tan to help you test those concoctions you are so fond of making. And who knows what reaction you might get when combined with the magical hangover cures from Urik."

"Urik! That could be the missing element!

She surprised herself by almost throwing herself as him to kiss him full on the mouth. It took a moment for the shock of that contact to register. Now, that was unexpected. And not exactly welcome in its implication for her. Almost reluctantly she pushed herself away, then annoyed at that reaction. Shards, what was the matter with her?

His smile was slight. "If that is the response I can expect, then I should get thrown out of the weyr more often."

That took a while to impact. "What!"

She pushed him into a chair and had him explain while she poured drink. She shook her head in disbelief when he had finished. "Name you wing second one day and traitor the next?"

"The irony of the situation had not escaped my notice. Still, I wanted to see you to say good-bye, in case I don't get back. And to give you this." He handed out the sheet he had written.

"What is it?" A list of herbs and proportions, but in a combination she would never have imagined.

"I believe it is the cure to the disease."

"I thought Jazon was still trying to decipher the skin."

"Jazon does not have the benefit of a friend at Mastersmith Hall who has a passion for all things ancient. Forn would delight in sending me messages in the old language. And neither S'bor nor Jazon seemed interested in waiting for my explanations right at the moment. Another reason for seeing you now. They might listen to you."

"D'kor, this is sheer insanity."

"If I had the time to think about it, I might agree. So much has happened in such a short time frame. Anyway, do you think that might help?"

She looked at the list more carefully then and felt a sinking feeling. "I know of these ingredients, I even know that there are some similar here, but they are nowhere near the potency of these. I wouldn't even know where to start a search."

"Which is probably why that quest is the mode of my redemption. Now, I only have two days for this, which is also why I hope that I am on the four day end of that incubation period."

"No-one else from Alpha has succumbed yet."

"But they were not with K'tan when he died and have not been in and out of Healer Hall."

She felt the cold of dreaded realization. "D'kor?"

"It's all right. I have felt better but I will be fine. Though I had better get a move on. What are the main symptoms, by the way?"

"Headache, lack of appetite, fever and a hacking cough."

"Well, I can be thankful for the lack of cough then." He stood and started for the door.

"Wait D'kor. I'm coming with you."

"As much as I would like to say otherwise, no, you are not. You are needed here. You said yourself that you had things similar, try those out. Talk to Jazon, he might know where there could be some of those other ingredients. Hopefully I will see you soon."

When he had gone Lytah sincerely wished that she had given into the desire to kiss him farewell.

Enough girl, she scolded herself, you are just overwrought. But you can relax now, D'kor has given you the answer. She looked at the piece of parchment in her hand. The inner knot chilled further. This was not the only reason he had called in.

To give her the cure, yes and he would expect her to get straight to the infirmary and work with the supplies there. Then also to talk to S'bor and Jazon and tell them of his discovery. But…

Her musings were swamped by a sudden grief. Then the deep sound of a dragon dirge as another left this existence. A moment later and sound and emotion ebbed into empty silence. Another rider had died. How many did that make it now? She had lost count.

_Lytah?_

_I'm fine._ Natoth always sought her out to check and to tell her.

_Ladeth had gone._

Ladeth? That was one of the blues from her own impression. Now the younger riders were falling to this disease? She pushed down the rise to panic even as she realised that D'kor's concern was not just overreaction. He may be fully justified in thinking that he may not come back. If the dangers of this quest did not kill him, then the disease he was incubating might. And she suddenly realised that was a future she did not want to eventuate. Certainly she expected no more of their relationship, but to never hear his voice, his laugh again? To feel Zenth's echoing rumble? The loss of the presence of those two would leave a hole in her life. A huge hole, she knew with a start.

_We will not let that happen._ Natoth's thoughts were firm and comforting.

_No dear heart, we will not. Keep in touch with Zenth._

S'bor and Jazon first, then the infirmary.

"Zenth?"

_Lytah?_

"We are worried about D'kor. Please stay in touch with Natoth and we will come as soon as I make up some of this concoction. I cannot lose you both."

_Certainly, and do not worry so. Though you must take some for yourself. For it is also true that D'kor and I cannot lose either you or Natoth._


	4. back living

D'kor fought to wake. Struggling against an overwhelming lethargy and a frightening jumble of slippery images, he knew he had to gain control. His life was in danger, as was the lives of everyone he held dear.

_You are safe._ The words came with a wave of warmth just as he managed to open his eyes. But even as he felt himself relax under the assurance of Zenth's words, there was no mistaking the sense of relief underlying the dragon's voice. But as he gave himself a mental exploration he decided that Zenth's concern was probably justified, if those disturbing fragments were the result of recent memory instead of nightmare. Could explain his physical condition too. Never in his life had he felt so weak.

He was in his own bed and it was night. There was a small glow on the table providing dim illumination, but enough to see that someone had been messing up his room. Parchments and books were scattered across his table, in-dispersed with a number of different bottles and more than one cup and plate. That also told him that he had been out of it for a while.

"How long?" he bethought of Zenth.

_A few days_. But he had the feeling it had been longer. If Zenth thought it that length of time then it was probably over a sevenday. _But stay quiet, she needs the sleep._

That had him curious. It took a lot of effort and he was sweating with the exertion when he finished, but he finally managed to turn over.

It was Lytah. Slumped in a chair to the side of the bed, she had fallen asleep while reading a book. Very gently he reached to pull it across to a less precarious position onto the bed, annoyed at how he even lacked the strength to lift it.

But as he studied her he felt the rise of alarm. She was pale and had lost weight and she didn't have a lot to loose. Shadows smudged under her eyes and hair working loose from her normally immaculate style, confirmed Zenth's words.

"Is she ill?" he asked.

_She has been very worried, as have we all._

D'kor could feel the tiredness in his dragon. That, with his words, told him that he had been seriously ill." Just how ill was I?" Zenth's hesitation and feeling of serious concern gave him answer. "I nearly died?"

_We wouldn't let you._

That brought up words and images. He was fighting against the dark but its pull was relentless. Lytah had been there, as well as others, but it was her voice calling out to B'rak to stop someone, before telling him to stay with them, not to sleep.

He had been held then and he was struggling against being forced to drink, until Zenth told him to. But the taste was horrid and he didn't want to. Then he had heard her order Zenth to help her, felt Zenth's panic in his question to her as to how, but between her strength and the dragon's pleading, he did as they wanted. Then they left him alone. For there had been a fight and he knew S'bor had been hurt. For the moment he didn't want to know how badly.

But in the memory of all that, a thought surfaced. "Zenth, did Lytah speak to you?"

_Yes._

"I mean directly, not through Natoth."

_I knew what you meant and the answer is still yes._

"How long has she been able to do that?"

_For as long as I can remember. It used to be that she would have to speak in words directly, but over the turns it has become as we talk._

Lytah could bethink Zenth? That would explain a few things. "Only you?"

_Lytah can speak to and hear any dragon. But it is only Henth, Katath, Nikolath and Azoth that she can bethink, that she does not have to be with to talk to. As well as myself and Natoth of course._

"Of course." That was news. He wondered if the others of the group knew, though he would be surprised if N'eth didn't. Natoth and Azoth were as close to friends as could be. "But you sound tired my friend, I should let you sleep now."

_Thank you D'kor. I will see you in the morning._ And almost within a heartbeat D'kor felt the shift in his dragon's awareness. Zenth obviously had not had a lot of sleep either. He focused back onto his other companion.

Well, well, dear green, he thought, aren't you full of surprises? He knew that Nalaya has been able to talk to any dragon, as several of the other queen riders could. It was seen as a mark of a good weyrwoman, even if there were some who couldn't. Not that that diminished their effectiveness, for queens did not choose poor riders.

He wondered if Lytah knew what a rare gift she had. Even with his extensive research to find records of other female green riders, he had come across no mention of that talent among those rare few mentioned. Still, he wondered if he was ever going to get the opportunity to develop that idea. With Interval only a few turns away, maybe the introduction of more women into the ranks would solve some of the problems he had seen. The worst rider/dragon adjustments were between the female greens and their male riders. V'hul came all too painfully to mind.

He had the feeling though that he was going to have plenty of time to work through any plans. By no means mentally tired, there was no way he was going to be able to go back to sleep, he felt physically drained and he had the feeling it was not going to be a quick road to recovery.

So there wasn't a lot of point in working through everything right now. But as he shifted to a more comfortable position, his hand brushed against the book. Well, if nothing else, his recent experiences had taught him that information could be found in the most unexpected places and not to pass up the opportunities when presented. He moved a pillow around to prop up the book and began to read.

He had finished reading before the dawn arrived, to then spend the time until she woke, absorbing what he had read, feeling only the slightest of qualms that it was obviously her most recent journal. For even though it contained her personal thoughts and opinions, there was a lot of information covering the last few months. Information which added a different perspective on what he had been doing. For which he was grateful, even if some of the news imparted was not good. He now had the data to make sense of what had been going on. It also gave him insight as to how quietly influential she and her family were. He wondered if she were more harper than rider.

Lytah woke efficiently. One moment she was asleep and then the next he found himself under the intense regard of those amazing amber eyes. She smiled even as she then yawned with a stretch. "It is good to see you finally aware. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to drop off. Why didn't you wake me?"

He propped his head up onto one arm. "Zenth ordered me not to."

He noticed a slightly vacant expression cross her face, before she came back to him. "Good, Natoth says that he has been sleeping most of the night."

"Natoth told you that?" There was her sharp look then, she missed nothing of what he really meant. He continued. "Zenth told me that you can bethink the dragons in our little group."

She offered no apology for him, nor did he expect any. Lytah kept her secrets, as did they all. Though she was not going to be happy if she found out that he knew of some of her others, he was glad that he had managed to drop her book quietly to the floor well before she woke.

She stood and walked from view and he heard liquid being poured. A moment later she was back at his side, this time sitting on the edge of his bed.

He tried sitting up, but fell back as a wave of dizziness swept over.

"I thought you were being a little adventurous there." She positioned herself with one arm around his neck, the other hand holding the cup to his lips. Shards, but he hated this feeling of helplessness. Even tempered as it was by having her so close. "You will feel very weak for a least a couple of days, until we get some liquid and food into you and build up your energy levels again. Which we have already planned for as we know how you will react to that."

When she eventually released him, she sat for a moment, her regard seriously intense. "You are going to have to be patient with us D'kor, you have been very ill for the last ten days."

"Zenth said that I nearly died."

"That you did. Look, I'm not going to lie to you, but we've had others here not nearly as ill for as long, and not pull through. So if we seem a little restrictive it is because everyone is feeling protective of you. Now, is there anything you would like?"

That was easy to answer. "A bathe."

Her frown was fleeting after a time of redirected thought, before a nod. "T'men is on his way to give you a hand. I'll find Gillian to get this bed changed as it will be a lot easier without you in it."

She left when T'men arrived, for which D'kor was grateful. T'men injected just the right amount of humour into the situation to help him deal with needing help with even the most basic of necessities with too much embarrassment. Though T'men pleaded defeat when it came to D'kor's hair. It had been left tied back and had since worked its way into a tangled mess. Even cutting the tie with his belt knife hadn't achieved much.

"I'm going to have to send Lytah in to deal with this," T'men finally admitted.

D'kor's strong protest to that was ignored. He was left with the thought that he hadn't expected her earlier prediction about being sent crazy to be so quickly fulfilled. The only thing here, he supposed, was that the depression in the floor, though not necessarily wide, was at least deep and so the water came to his chest. Providing a welcome buoyancy. And with the warm water constantly flowing in even as it was draining, the surface remained constant and ruffled.

The first he knew was a basin of water tipped over his head. Even as he gasped for air, he felt sweetsand being rubbed into his hair. She worked efficiently, firm and gentle, until the application of a brush.

He was sorely tempted to tell her to just leave it be, cut it short, but she stopped right at the point when he had had enough .A few basins of water to rinse out the cleanser and more than one knotted mess made its way to the edge to disappear from sight. He was then pushed forward and he felt the roughness of a sponge on his back. Ah, that felt good. Too soon she finished.

She just laughed at his complaints. "I'll sent T'men back in."

Lytah was gone by the time he returned to his room, feeling exhausted by even that simple excursion. There were extra pillows on his bed now, which meant that he could lie more upright, thankfully so. Awake and flat on his back was not something he was looking forward to. Though he was not impressed when Gillian insisted on spoon-feeding him some thick soup. T'men had the good sense to busy himself tidying the table while that was happening, though D'kor's mood was foul by the time she had finished. It took a lot of self-control to hold his temper.

Thankfully T'men didn't seem to mind when he let loose after Gillian had gone. He just sat in the chair by his bed until D'kor finally sank back, drained. "I know it doesn't help to tell you this D'kor, but it is likely to get worse before it gets better. There are a lot of people around who feel that they owe you a lot, want to do anything they can do to get you well again. Just try and let them, at least until you can do it yourself again. Don't underestimate how ill you have been, still are."

"By the egg T'men, why do people think that? I've done nothing special."

"You think? I don't believe N'eth would agree with you there."

"The only reason N'eth was in trouble was because I let him help me, causing him to be in that situation in the first place."

"Fine then. How about working out exactly what was going on, finding that cure, returning it to Jazon, having the foresight to record the information and give it to Lytah, actually find some of the rarer herbs, break into a smuggling ring, release a whole bunch of poor unfortunates without any loss and deal with both Lamrat and Roth personally. Sure, I can see how there was nothing special about that."

"Roth is still out there, S'bor and K'tan are dead, V'hul exiled, I really live up to my responsibilities as wing second by aiding in the plot by delivering messages between Lamrat and V'hul, albeit unknowingly, and you can thank Lytah and her mother Sygull for the cure, I know I do." If Lytah had not had some of her version of that on her when she and the rest of Alpha wing had come for him, then he would not be here. Of that he was certain.

"Who told you all that?" Lytah's question drew his attention. She had just entered his room and he noticed that she had changed into warmer jacket and pants. He wondered where she was headed.

"I have my sources." There was no way he was going to admit to it being from her journal. Ever.

"Then it looks like my father was right, you are good harper material."

He laughed. "I don't think Kilimi would agree with you there."

"So she has said. But don't underestimate what you have achieved, there would not be too many people who could have done what you have done so successfully. But I didn't come here to debate that with you. I might be able to get Natoth to get a decent feed now and wondered if you could persuade Zenth to come with us."

"Zenth?" he asked. It was only now that he realized the dragon was awake.

_Now that you are going to be fine I am prepared to leave for a while._

D'kor was surprised that after he passed on Zenth's answer, Lytah headed for Zenth's sleeping area. He turned to T'men. "I thought that she was flying Natoth."

"She is. The only time Natoth has left Zenth's side is to bring him some meat, try and coax him to eat. He's almost as much skin and bone as you are."

It was a while before they returned. Lytah had insisted that the dragons take their time, eat to capacity slowly. D'kor found it hard to imagine that the two of them could fit in the cavern.

"Come on T'men, take his other arm. Zenth would feel better for seeing him anyway." As he would for seeing Zenth, he realized, letting them take his weight across their shoulders.

The travel across might have been awkward, but it was by no means humourless, T'men even managed to get Lytah laughing. And leaning against Zenth's neck, feeling his warmth with the dragon's distinctive scent around him, he felt stronger. Not much, to be sure, but enough to know that he would be fine. Eventually.

Though it was strange to see the smaller green dragon curled up at Zenth's side. He fought the irrational pang of jealously. This might just work in his favour. He wondered if Lytah had noticed just how much affection her dragon was showing his.

By the time he had got back into bed he could feel that the dragons were asleep, stuffed as they were.

Yet there must have been some fellis in the drink Lytah then gave him, he had only just finished it when overcome by a relentless pull to sleep himself.


	5. Ierne

Natoth emerged from the cold of between into the warmth of the air above the beach of Ierne. For a moment Lytah felt her breath catch in her throat. Even from this height she could see it was just as D'kor had said, beautiful.

At that she glanced to her left. Zenth was leading them down to the sands and she could make out the blue of Henth flying on his far left. Not that they needed a guide, the bulks of another green and three browns standing in the shallows of the sea indicated where they should go.

As she dismounted she could see why D'kor hadn't bothered to wait for them to change into warmer clothing. Already the heat made her unbutton her jacket from the short walk up the beach.

But it was not just the heat or the glare from the sun that made her feel so uneasy. It wasn't even their purpose here. She could identify L'tul and T'men as the two bent over the form spread-eagled on the sand, S'lon and N'eth standing close by. The last of Alpha wing, she thought with a start. This was all that was left of them. Which had to be why D'kor had insisted that they all be here. To personally deal with the one responsible for the decimation to their ranks and the damage to their whole weyr.

No, it went beyond all this. To the man standing with feet firmly apart, arms folded, seemingly oblivious to the heat. For man D'kor was and as Lytah watched him, she realized that she didn't know him anymore.

Gone was the quiet hesitation, the attitude that if you left it well enough alone then it might solve itself. He even looked different. Thinner to be sure, the gauntness of his illness would take more than a few days to remove, but also taller and straighter. He might have only been wingleader for a day or so, but he was a natural for the position.

As shown on the hatching grounds of Fort, was it only a couple of hours ago? It was he who had found Rowarth, discovered Roth's plot and organised their small group to guard the eggs. He had also predicted that Roth would wait until the grounds were full of potential candidates before he made his move. And it had been D'kor's sharp reflexes that had him catch the bottle of liquid thrown at the queen egg. It had also been to D'kor that T'men had turned with the question "What do you want to do with him?"

But if she had been surprised by the fact that T'men was not the only one to look to D'kor for direction, then D'kor's response had stunned her. She had never imagined that he could harbour such anger, well controlled though it was. Not even S'lon was going to question the authority in the order. "Stake him out for thread."

Now they were here. Making an end to it before they went back to Fort to celebrate the arrival of Coranth and the election of Mianna as their new weyrwoman. As well as the other new members of their weyr.

She was aware that N'eth came to her side, but she was watching T'men and L'tul straighten before they moved back with the others towards the dragons. Leaving D'kor standing alone after they had paused briefly by him. "Lytah, are you all right?"

"No. I don't think so." She turned towards N'eth. "There's something…." She found it disconcerting to be searching for words. Not like her at all. "…wrong with this whole scene. Not with Roth," she added at his look of concern. "That one deserves everything that is coming to him. But Natoth is agitated as well and I don't think it is just because she is here on the beach instead of up there flaming."

Lytah had looked up at the sky in the distance. Already the familiar silver-grey edge of an approaching fall could be seen. It did feel wrong not to be up there, to just let it fall.

"I feel strange," she said almost absently. "On edge."

N'eth had turned sharply to look back towards the water. "I see." He then strode ahead back to D'kor, pulled him around to face towards the sea, but they spoke too low for her to distinguish their words.

It was only a moment before they walked forward. D'kor spoke. "All right people, there are some celebrations to attend. S'lon, take them back home."

That had been another surprise, that D'kor had suggested S'lon as his wing second. She approved of his choice though, both politically and personally.

S'lon looked surprised. "You're not coming?"

"Not yet. I need to stay to make sure this matter is finished once and for all."

Though she could fully understand his reasons, Lytah still felt apprehension as she turned to go with the others.

"Lytah." She faced D'kor. "Can I ask you to stay?"

She didn't really want to but she would prefer that to leaving him here alone. "Yes."

"Thank you." D'kor turned back to face the approaching thread.

This was not good, she decided, watching the others leave. Though at least Natoth seemed to settle slightly when it was only Zenth left on the beach.

"Why me?" she finally asked to his back.

He didn't move. "You were there with me when this started, have always been by my side, my closest friend and companion. I wanted you to be with me here at the end to see it finally finished."

That she could understand, even if his words made her feel uncomfortable. Unable to think of a suitable reply, she stood in silence.

But after a few minutes she decided that enough was enough. The leading edge of thread might still be a little way off at the top of the cliffs, but D'kor looked like he was going to stand there until it was on top of them. She ran forward, to take hold of his hand.

"D'kor, please, let us get out of here."

His slight smile as he faced her was not what she expected. "So, you do care?"

"Of course I care." She began pulling him towards the beach.

He reversed her grip so that it was her hand in his as he broke into a run. "In that case, let us go."

Willingly she complied, until he reached Zenth and wouldn't let her go. His strength surprised. "D'kor!"

"You are coming with me." He was starting to climb.

"Don't be ridiculous. Let me go, you are upsetting Natoth."

"My dear green rider, I have no intention of doing either. Now we can stay like this until thread is upon us or you can get up here."

She resisted for a moment longer, before allowing herself to be pulled up. She was angry. "I swear D'kor, that when we get back to Fort, I am going to flail your hide."

He had positioned her in front of him, his laugh was low in her ear. "Something I will look forward to then."

Then Zenth was airborne, Natoth a breath behind him, the green's agitated scolding clearly audible.

The cold of between was fleeting and they were in the air again, uncomfortably close to the ground. But Lytah didn't get the chance for a clear view. D'kor had one arm around, holding her arms to her sides, his other hand suddenly covering her eyes. Alarmed, she fumbled to catch the riding straps herself to ensure that they kept to their seat.

Some part of her kept outside awareness. She could tell that they were still south, the air was warm, but she was too angry to work out why. They were landing in an unusual area though they were almost on the ground before he released her to be able to see. The open ground was not large and it was surrounded by thick tall vegetation. An opening through the hedge looked to lead into a compound beyond what seemed to be a pit trap.

Lytah almost vaulted to the ground once D'kor let her go as they landed.

"Shaffit D'kor, what are you playing at?"

"Lytah, I'm done playing." It had only taken a moment before he was walking towards her. Even in her fury she was surprised as to how serious he seemed. "It will be me, as I intend it to be me from now on, so I was not going to have you sight where we are in order for you to be able to call in any others."

"What are you on about?"

"Look at your green."

Warily she did as he said. Then felt a wave of cold fear wash over as realization hit. She didn't need his following words to confirm what she had seen. "Natoth's ready to fly."

"That cannot be!"

"I know it is far too early but I guess you could put it down to the amount of stress that both of you have been under these past few sevendays."

"How do you know she is early?"

"I learnt the timing of Natoth's cycles a long time ago. It was the only way I found to help stop going crazy every time you were away from the weyr. I could then reduce the number of times I got blinding drunk to once every season. I suppose I should thank you for your consideration in at least taking it to other wings if not to other weyrs. My jealous rages could not be directed at my own wing members then."

"This is insanity. Bronzes are not….."

"Meant to fly greens. So you have said and I never want to hear you say it again."

"D'kor…"

"No! Lytah, I've had plenty of time recently to think, to have nice long chats with our friends. And I have also read your journal."

"You did what?"

He shrugged at her anger. "So I know your reasons why. And maybe at some time in the past, they might have had some validity."

Curiosity took the sharp edge from her anger. "And no longer?"

"In one way. I have learnt a lot in recent times, more especially about myself. I now know I prefer to give orders rather than receive them. If I have my way, Zenth will fly Coranth when she matures."

"You want to be weyrleader?"

"Even if I was to be given the choice, yes." He gave a smile at her puzzled frown. "V'kai has named me flightleader."

"But that means…" The enormity of that took a moment to sink in.

"I will be weyrleader if anything happens to him before Coranth's mating flight. And in the meantime I get to become his apprentice, learn how to run Fort and plan how to lead it into Interval. But to do that I need a strong woman at my side."

"Mianna…"

"Shards woman! I am not talking about Mianna. Though she will make an efficient weyrwoman, we will have the best-kept records in Pern, it is not her bed I will willingly seek. Especially as she has already made known her opinion of we younger riders."

"Yes. I have noticed that she prefers the company of K'ron already."

"Preferences be damned. His bronze is no match for Zenth, no bronze in Fort is."

In that he spoke true. But his words, this conversation, confused her. As well as effectively sliced through the barriers she had built around herself. "And it is me that you want?"

"Not just want. Lytah, I need you. You are smart, clear-sighted, and levelheaded. You see things I don't, have always provided me with insight and guidance. I need that more than ever now. I must have your total commitment to me."

"You already do."

"As friend and probably wingleader, I have no doubt. But that is no longer enough, I also need you as lover." She could think of no immediate reply to that.

It took a while to find something appropriate. "I did not expect this."

"Nor did I. I had thought to have a little longer to start to persuade you, but Natoth has changed all that."

"So it seems. But I need more time D'kor, I cannot give you answer now."

"I can't say that I am surprised there. I don't mind waiting, as long as it is the answer I have to have. But we really need to get out of here. Pleasant though this place is, it is also territory for some rather nasty felines. Through there."

Curiosity more than anything had her follow his directions. Though she wondered what was wrong when he gave a sharp hiss on landing from the leap across the gap. She also didn't put up much protest as he led her up a ramp towards some sort of shelter. There was the threat of thread after all and safety was behind a wall of rock and stone. It felt strange too, that there was a feeling of inevitability about this whole situation. But she was not going to give in easily.

"You may now be my flightleader but in personal matters I find such arrogance is something I am not sure I approve of."

"I'm sorry Lytah." There was the fleeting return of the D'kor she used to know. "But I had planned on sevendays for this, not minutes. And it is not something that I claim to have a lot of practice with. I have to persuade you that this is right. For all four of us."

"Hmm, yes. You do have a problem." She had taken slow steps towards him, stood directly in front. She hadn't realised that he was a good half-head taller than her. Automatically she fought the surge of emotion from her dragon, before conscientiously letting it flow. Natoth had killed one of the felines, she could feel her questioning the flavour. But it was only blood she was after. Lytah could feel the change as the raw taste turned the savage need into lust.

Give into it for a change, she told herself. "Especially as you have run out of time."

She reached to lay her hand on the back of his neck to guide him into her kiss. The touch seemed to be the signal for Natoth. With a cry of challenge the green leapt skywards. An answer from Zenth and the bronze followed.

Lytah kept her eyes closed as she came back to outside awareness slowly. A breeze was cool on one bare shoulder, the texture of animal pelt soft and luxurious on bare skin, warmth of contact along one side and a feeling of well being and… she sought for the work lazily, not wanting to think too deep on actions and implications. Rightness.

_I am glad that you think that way._

Zenth's contact surprised her. She searched for Natoth to find that she was asleep, so withdrew back to Zenth. _Where are you both?_

_On the far side of the island. Thread still falls where you are, here the sky is clear and the sun warm. I watch over Natoth as she sleeps on the beach and we will return later._

Even as Lytah felt some surprise at the protective tone in his thoughts, she could also not mistake the sense of pride. And not just for himself.

_Natoth flew well Lytah. She is a challenge to catch and a worthy partner._

"Like dragon, like rider."

She looked across to find D'kor lying on his side, watching her. "Later," he said as she got ready to speak. "For now we have time to pass and I would see what we could find without the sense of urgency."

She gave a gasp then as his gentle strokes of her leg finally brushed between her thighs. She reached to lay a hand gently on his neck. "And without dragon involvement?"

"That too," he said as he bent forward.

D'kor woke with a start and knew almost instinctively that he was alone. Something also told him it had been at least an hour or so. The sun was low enough in the sky to tell him it was mid-afternoon. So it would be also at Fort.

As he dressed he called for Zenth. He then picked up the impression that the bronze was amused at something. "Do you know where Lytah might be?"

_She is here with us down on the beach. Though I feel that she has not had a lot to do with the sea._

"Why do you say that?"

_Fall has brought the fish to the surface to feed on the drowned threads and I think she is unsure as to what to make of it. And she does not like the taste of the water._

The conversation had D'kor feeling slightly left out. "I'm on my way."

_Lytah says no as it is far too dangerous. The felines are out and agitated and she has your crossbow. Natoth will come and get you. There was a moment of silence. She believes that Lear's compound is too confined for me to be able to take off again._

It wasn't hard to pick up Zenth's opinion of the arrangement. "I'll meet you in the area outside."

_Even there it is dangerous at the moment unarmed. I would rather you ride Natoth than risk further harm._

Though when the green landed there was a shadow over that was not of cloud. D'kor could see why Lytah sent Natoth. There was only just enough room for the green to spread her wings for take off. It also felt more than a trifle strange to be astride the smaller beast.

He had the feeling that he would hurt her until he recalled the size of some of the other green riders he knew.

Zenth landed close to Natoth, D'kor made a point of thanking both dragons. Yet once on the ground and he could look around, he felt the start of alarm. Where was Lytah?

That blew into serious concern when he finally spotted her at the end of the stone pier. He broke into a run. For she was lying face down, partly over the end. He had almost reached her before he realized that she couldn't be hurt. Natoth was far too calm and Zenth would have told him.

He'd slowed to a walk by the time he reached her. "What are you doing?"

She looked up and beckoned for him to join her.

_She's talking to the fish._ Zenth informed him.

"Like the one we met at Ista?" But as he lay on the edge with her he could answer that for himself. There were two of the sleek grey creatures close by the pier at her side.

"You have seen the likes of these before?" Lytah asked.

"They call themselves dolphins. The one at Ista seemed pleased that I had made the time and effort to try and talk."

"It is hard work," she said. "Dolphins. It sounded like that but it was such a strange word I thought it was part of their own speak." There was a pause in which he watched the pair in the water. It almost seemed as if they were having their own conversation, there was nothing remotely understandable in their sounds.

"D'kor, may I come back here? To talk more with the dolphins, explore this wonderful place of yours?"

That was an interesting concept, one he hadn't thought through himself. Certainly he had agreed to protect this place when he had asked Lear to move to the larger holding that Roth had established. Lear knew the island and appeared more than capable of directing the few that had been organised to sort the place out, burn out the last traces of the disease. But D'kor had thought more along the lines of general protection from Fort, rather than himself personally. Though he certainly had the authority to do that on his own now.

"I like that idea," he said. "As long as it is something I can assist you with." He turned to face the closest dolphin. "Would that be all right with you?"

In answer there was excited squealing from both the animals. One then launched itself into the air to fall back with a loud splash, the other pushed itself up to do a tail dance in the water.

Lytah was laughing as she moved to sit. "I think they approve. But it is probably time to get you back home."

D'kor sat up himself then, but carefully. For some reason the wound in his side was deciding to act up, giving a twinge of pain if he overstretched that side.

He reached to cover her hand with his. "Do we get the chance to have a talk?"

"Tomorrow. I need to sleep on this first. A lot has happened today that I need to sort out, get into perspective."

She was on her feet by now and he used her offered hand to help himself upright. He then pulled her into a kiss. It was a little surprising and more than pleasing to find that it was he who broke the contact a while later. One hand of hers rested on his neck, she stroked his throat gently as she moved away. "That was interesting."

"Interesting?" He fell into step beside her as they headed off the pier. "Anyone would think that you had not been kissed before."

He wondered why she suddenly looked embarrassed. "In truth D'kor? Since I became rider, unless dragon-roused, I haven't."

That he found surprising. If that were so… He caught her around the waist as he stopped to pull her into his embrace. "Lytah," he spoke quietly "Excluding the times Natoth rises, when was the last time you took a man to bed?"

It took a long moment before she met his look. "Before I Impressed."

"Am I allowed to ask why?" Reading her expression had him quickly add "Tomorrow?"

She laughed again as he released her. "Yes, you can ask me tomorrow."

Reaching the end of the pier he paused instead of following her towards the dragons, looked across the sands.

"Are you coming today?" she called.

"In a minute." He started to walk towards the spot visited earlier. He had to make sure.

It was only a moment later before she was at his side. "Of course."

D'kor wondered why it surprised him to find so little left. He knew thread, had been fighting it for a good part of his life, had seen the permanent damage done to flesh of a brief searing contact before a trip between froze it dead. He had also known the loss of both man and dragon when contact had been fatal. Thread consumed anything that was not metal or stone. And a man was made of neither.

He felt Lytah take her hand from around his waist as she stepped forward, to go down onto one knee. She used the point of her knife to move the few pieces of metal on the sand. There was something he thought. What happened to the thread when it has finished all available matter? He could see no trace of it here, which was obviously what Lytah was checking for. She then picked up a belt buckle and other pieces that might have been decoration to put them into her small bag. He was then aware that she took hold of his hand as she came back to stand beside him.

It was a while later before he gave a sigh. "It is at an end."

She kept the contact as they walked back to the dragons.

It was late afternoon when Zenth broke through into the sky above Fort weyr. Yet even as Zenth greeted the dragon on watch, D'kor was surprised that he spoke. _They are not here._

Shaffit, D'kor thought, now what had gone wrong? He felt annoyed that the plans for grabbing something to eat and retiring for an early night had just been sent between. "Can Natoth tell you where they are?"

A few moments during which Zenth flew lazy circles, delaying their descent. _Telgar weyr._

D'kor let out a long sigh. He felt of a mind to just get home, ignore the whole compounding problem. But that would achieve no positive purpose, was more than likely to undo any progress he might have made with her.

"Let the watch know we are not landing now. Ask Gonuth to pass on to S'lon our apologies, we will be late and could he pass on the same message to Mianna. So too, ask Katath to give the same to T'men and that I need to detour past Telgar weyr."

_We are going to go and get them?_

"Unless you believe that to be a bad idea?"

_No. Natoth is not happy. She wants to come home but Lytah needed to see someone at Telgar, so she is pleased that we are coming._

"Then the sooner we get going, the sooner we will be back."

_You do not want to stop for gloves or a warmer jacket? I feel the cold has not done you any good._

A tempting idea. The cooler air here and the chill of between had drawn out all the heat of his visit south. But if he landed he would be sorely coaxed into staying. "I'll survive without it."

Though when they emerged over Telgar, he wondered if he might have been wrong. It was full night here, nothing then to even start to take the chill away that seemed to be seeping into his very bones. Though he managed to control his shivering by the time they had permission to land. Zenth then left him to join Natoth on the ridge.

The entrance was only dimly lit with glows which, more than anything, indicated the lateness of the hour. But there was no hint of weariness in the bearing of the tall, silver-haired man who was striding towards him.

"D'kor, Zenth's rider, of Fort."

"M'con, Dureth's rider." That was surprising, that Telgar's weyrleader was meeting him in person. "I had heard that Fort had suffered the brunt of that disease, but I had been unaware that madness had been an aftermath. Or so I must assume when two Fort riders turn up in the middle of the night with not so much as a glove between either of them."

"Not my smartest move," D'kor had to concede. "But it was a warm afternoon in Ierne when I left."

"So my niece said." Ah, there was the nagging point of connection. "And I assume that it is her arrival here that has precipitated yours?"

"An issue has come up that I need to resolve with her."

"Now there you may have a problem. Lytah has closeted herself away with Serenna and not even I would disturb them. At least not with Lytah's mood. But you will not wait out here either. Come to my study, it will be warmer with the fire there."

D'kor was grateful to find his words lived up to their promise. The chair in front of the fire was comfortable, the fire cheery and the wine cool. The walk here had warmed him somewhat, but for some reason he did not feel particularly well. Probably hunger, he decided, it had been a while since his last meal.

M'con had left briefly, and then came to occupy the second chair. "There will be food along shortly. In the meanwhile you can tell me the news of Fort's latest hatching. I understand that you had a bit of trouble there."

So passed the next little while. M'con was very easy to talk with, seemingly genuinely interested in what had been happening at Fort. The only time he expected D'kor's silence was when he insisted that he put food in his mouth. Stew and pastries had been warmed to make a very welcome supper.

M'con poured the last of the wine. "Sounds like you have had more happening in one day than most people would experience in a full turn. But forgive me for saying so, none of what you have told me explains Lytah's mood, her need to visit my weyrwoman and brings you chasing after her. What else happened today?"

D'kor took a drink to moisten a suddenly dry mouth. "Zenth flew Natoth." Not unexpectedly he found himself under the intense regard of the weyrleader.

M'con finally spoke. "Of all the words spoken this evening, none has had more significance than those three. Yes, that explains a great deal, if not all. Given that, I can also tell you that you will find no resolution this night, I know my family too well. So there is probably not much point in any further delay to retiring for the night. And that will not involve you returning to Fort."

D'kor started to frown at that. Since when had one weyr believed it had authority over another's riders? An offer of hospitality was one thing, orders an entirely different matter.

"Forgive me D'kor. I have been wingleader far too long not to be able to judge correctly the condition of either dragon or rider. You have had food and drink and still you look unwell. So I will insist that you stay and I will arrange for the visiting journeywoman healer to see you before she leaves."

"I have had enough of healers, thank you."

"Be that as it may, I would be negligent in my duty to V'kai if I allowed Fort's favourite son to come to further harm. Do not look so surprised, wingleader, your reputation precedes you, and not just by family connection."

On M'con's call a servant appeared and D'kor also stood. The three of them were quite close to the table but D'kor was unsure as to what exactly happened then as he was suddenly occupied with fighting a wave of nausea. So he was unprepared and didn't react when M'con stepped back with a muffled curse, into him. Though he certainly became aware when M'con's elbow connected with his injured side.

The pain was blinding. He dropped to one knee, doubled over, fighting hard not to lose either his meal or consciousness. There were other voices on the edge of his awareness. M'con's certainly and he thought he could recognise Lytah. But when someone pulled him upright, the wave of heat that washed through him sent him into the dark.

D'kor decided that he was heartily fed up with not being able to wake normally. He ached, still felt tired and there was a damnable damp cloth covering his eyes. He raised a hand to remove it.

"Not so fast D'kor." He felt his hand caught.

"Lytah?" Even as he said that he was not sure. It sounded like her, somewhat.

"So that explains it. I am Journeywoman healer Sygull."

"Lytah's mother."

"Yes. It is nice to know that she does speak of me. Now before I remove the cloth I need to ask a couple of questions. Any headache, pain in the back of the eyes?"

A moment for mental exploration. "No."

"Can I get you to lift yourself a little, then answer the same question?"

That took some effort but there was no response, at least not from his head. "My head's still fine but that started up an ache in my side."

"That is understandable. It was a nasty injury and not properly treated. And before you react to that, I meant no disrespect to Fort's healers. It is just that they would not have realised what exactly they were dealing with. You are aware and coherent. How do you feel?"

"Tired, thirsty."

"Hungry?"

"A little. For anything but soup."

"I will see what I can arrange." The cloth was removed. As Sygull left he decided that if not for her voice he would have been hard pressed to relate her to Lytah, her features harder than those of the dragon rider. Probably as a result of her work he decided.

It was mid morning and he was in Telgar's infirmary. Not alone, one rider with an elaborately splintered leg waved to him from across the room and curtains around a corner bed indicated another more serious injury.

Food, juice and extra pillows duly arrived, all having a positive effect. Why, he was actually starting to feel somewhat normal. Though he definitely was not going to stay in bed once he found he was heading for his fourth night at Telgar. Shards, was he going to do nothing but sleep his entire life away? In the last three sevendays he was going to be lucky to have seen five of them.

The only thing that finally restricted him to the infirmary was that he could find none of his clothes and even he had enough self-respect to not go prancing around a foreign weyr in only a borrowed nightshirt.

When Sygull returned he reluctantly let her usher him back into bed. "Yes," she was saying. "I can see why Lytah had me carry out her suggestion."

"Which was?" He was made to lie back, the dressing changed. There must have been numbweed in the ointment, the ache quickly disappeared.

"That the only way to get you to stay put to heal was to put enough fellis in your liquid that you had no choice. But I have to admit, even so, you were more than a compliant patient. Probably because you thought that I was Lytah."

But if she noticed his embarrassment then, she was tactful enough to ignore it. "Still, you are over the worst of the effects of that wound. It will heal, provided that it is taken care of."

"But it was only a stunning dart from a tiny crossbow."

"Drenched in a potion that on its own would have made you sick enough. It was probably how they infected the herdbeast in the first place. The effect on top of what you were undoubtedly already suffering should have been fatal. So it will need some careful treatment to ensure that you will heal completely and as permanently as we can make it. To that end I have thoroughly briefed an assistant to go back with you to Fort, as I have dealt with enough dragon riders, wingleaders in particular, to know that taking care of themselves is not high on their priority list."

Now he was to deal with another healer? And probably be expected to fly them to Fort. Still, if it meant that he could get back home soon then he should put up with the inconvenience. "When will I be able to leave?"

"As soon as you are dressed. Ah good, here she comes now."

He looked to see Lytah enter with a pile of clothing. She was dressed herself for flight, insisted that he wear double layers, riding gear on top of normal uniform. He was allowed to dress while Sygull drew Lytah aside for final instructions.

D'kor slung the heavier jacket across one shoulder for the moment as he was already uncomfortably warm. He bid farewell to Sygull. Noticed that Lytah had been given the pot of ointment to put into her satchel, which confirmed his interpretation of their earlier conversation.

"So, you are to be the assistant healer?" he said when they started out of the infirmary.

Her expression was rueful. "Sygull seemed to think that it was the only way to make sure of correct treatment."

"She could be right there." But he didn't wait for a reaction, increased the length of his stride. He wondered if Sygull predicted that he would willingly seek aid from that quarter. Probably, healers were notoriously devious. Combine that with Harper Hall influence and who knew what they could achieve.

A not overly long farewell from M'con and D'kor was gratefully heading across Telgar's landing area, though a call from Lytah had him pause.

"Just so you are aware, I've been asked to escort Sygull back to Healer Hall. I apologise for not checking with you earlier."

"Just as long as you are back at Fort by the evening meal."

"I have no intention of being longer than an hour at most. Depending on how long Sygull takes to get ready."


	6. Alpha disbanded

It might have been a quiet day used to settle back in, but D'kor was still glad Lytah came soon after the evening meal to change the dressing. Though if she noticed that he seemed preoccupied, she made no comment, just worked efficiently before leaving quietly. He also might be exhausted but sleep did not come easily.

The next morning found him spend most of it with V'kai, surprised how enthusiastic the weyrleader was to his plans and suggestions. Though D'kor was stunned with his announcement of time frame.

"Today V'kai?"

"Why not? The weyr has undergone some dramatic changes in recent days. Such a radical proposal is not going to be easily accepted, will be even harder to bring in if you wait until everyone has settled. Sothath will relay to all the riders that there will be a full weyr meeting before the midday meal. I will make the announcement of your appointment as flightleader and you can start from there."

"I can have the afternoon of a meeting then of the bronze riders. It could work." A little daunting D'kor thought, but not a bad idea. Left too much longer and he might come up with so many reasons to the negative; he might never go through with it. Though he did argue against, and won, V'kai's suggestion that he retire formally as weyrleader. That would be too much. Even if figurehead only, D'kor needed the concept that the elder statesman was still in charge.

The meeting went pretty much as expected. Comments and conversation was low, but D'kor decided that overall it was not bad. He might end up with some problems of acceptance, but it was going to be nowhere near as bad as those he would have had as V'kai's replacement.

The first part of his address went quite well. Though he had almost total silence by the time he came to his main part.

"…the disease took its toll. Not just on us, but the whole of Pern, even though we took the brunt. We lost nearly a third of our manpower. Of a fighting strength of nearly five hundred, we have been reduced to just under three hundred and fifty. This is going to require us to make some major changes, some major adjustments. Which we are going to have to institute and accept.

The first of which will be to discuss the advisability of maintaining twenty-five wings, of an average of less than the minimum of twelve members instead of the usual thirty. Thus in order to lead the change, my first decision is to announce the disbanding of Alpha wing."

The silence then was total.

Lytah found that she needed to remind herself to breath. No, he couldn't have just said what she thought that he did. But a look at the expressions on her fellow wing members contradicted that assumption. Ex-wing members, she realized with a start, feeling the anger start to rise.

How could he do this to them! She found herself on her feet, the only sound that of her footsteps as she crossed the sort distance to him.

"Why?"

There were many things he could have said to pacify her somewhat. Shards, even a request to talk about it later would have sufficed or even the slightest hint of an apology in his look. Not the fraction of a turn away with the quiet words. "I have my reasons."

Her anger boiled. Yet even she was surprised with the amount of force behind her hand to his face.

That seemed to be the trigger. As she turned the noise erupted, riders started moving. She found her exit from the room blocked so she made her way to one side where a couple of her friends waited.

"He has to have something in mind," T'men was saying. B'rak just gave his head a shake.

"Be that as it may, he could have given us some warning before destroying us so publicly."

Yes, there was some truth in that, not like D'kor at all. She felt the beginning of calm return. Something to ask him at some stage in the future. In the far distant future.

"Lytah." She turned to face Ch'dan, not exactly enthusiastic about the rider's call. "I'm sorry about that, it was uncalled for."

"Tell me something I didn't know." Her patience for any rider of bronze was thin at the moment.

"Understandable. Look, I just wanted to say that I would gladly have you as a member of my wing. I don't expect an answer now, but please think on it." Then he was gone, leaving Lytah feeling more than a little confused.

"Now there is a surprise," N'eth echoed her own sentiments. "Would you consider it?"

Lytah gave a shudder as she turned back to the group. "The fellow aggravates me easily at the best of times, let alone to have him as my wingleader."

"I suppose it is a question that we all will have to think about though." T'men was getting to his feet. "But I, for one, need to get out of here, find somewhere quiet."

"Something easier said than done, I think." Lytah said. "But my place after the evening meal? We can ceremonially smash one bronze glass. Can I leave it to you guys to make sure all of Alpha comes, including S'lon? D'kor may disband us on parchment, but I have no intention of him splitting up the group, even if we are one member short now."

The weyr was still in some sense of turmoil by the time night had fallen. So much so that the Alpha members decided to avoid further condolences from other riders by collecting what they could and taking a meal together in Lytah's quarters. Not that they felt much like eating.

The only small comfort in an otherwise gloomy evening was that Alpha wing was just the first of a number to be disbanded. A number of the now smaller wings were also to be absorbed into the others, though not as openly.

Lytah sat back in her chair and used her belt knife to slice off pieces of fruit to eat. "All right then, no smashing of glass until we hear some justification of the action, or we all agree that it should be done."

"Thank you." N'eth looked relieved. "I hate to see good marks go to waste."

"You could always give it to Ch'dan, he seemed interested." T'men's show of innocence was poor. She reached towards him with her knife, savoured his surprised look a moment before she speared another fruit from the bowl in front of him. Relaxing back she said "I would break it myself before giving it to anyone else not in this room now."

S'lon reached forward to refill his cup with wine. "To be honest, in hindsight, it was actually a clever move of D'kor's."

"Clever?" B'rak nearly choked on his mouthful. "Have you gone insane?"

"Think about what he wanted to do. Reduce the number of wings and leaders and amalgamate the flights into more balanced and efficient numbers. How could others complain about that when he showed he was willing to sacrifice his own position as wingleader and was not going to spare his closest friends."

B'rak shook his head. "Strange way to show friendship."

L'tul leant forward. "He already had the responsibility of flight leader. What would giving up wingleader mean anyway compared to that?"

"Giving up us." Lytah looked to S'lon to get his slight smile. "But just how traditional is it?"

"D'kor has shown me that he can achieve a great deal." S'lon answered. "And how little tradition had to do with any of it."

N'eth raised a hand to point a finger to S'lon. "You know, you might have a point there. Look here now. We many not fly together again, but that does not mean we will not see each other, spend more time like this."

"But why?" T'men glanced at each of them in turn. "Why split us up and want us to stay together?"

S'lon shrugged. "That I cannot answer. Though I must say, and now is as good a time as any, thank you for including me as part of your group."

_Lytah_

Zenth? The bronze's thoughts startled her away from the conversation.

_Would you mind a quiet word with me?_

_Of course Zenth_. "Excuse me guys, just need to freshen up." She stood, made her way to the bathroom. Once alone, she spoke quietly. "_How can I be of service?"_

_Natoth says that you are not happy with me._

_"No my friend. It is not you at all that I have been upset with. Can't say the same thing about your rider though. But that too might change. I think that we, as a group, have decided to reserve judgement for the moment."_

_D'kor was hoping for as much. He would like a chance to explain his actions to you all._

_"That would be welcome. Just a shame it is after the event rather than before. Sorry Zenth, I shouldn't take it out on you. Look, yes, tell D'kor he can pay us a visit sometime without endangering his safety."_

_Would now be convenient?_

_"Now?"_

_He is waiting outside your quarters._

_"Oh. Well then. I had better go and ask the others."_

Lytah took a deep breath before she stepped back out into her main room. "Ah, excuse me guys." Now, how was the best way to ask? "How many of us agree that we need to talk with D'kor?"

T'men answered. "I think that fact has been established, and I would say all?" To get a nod of agreement around the table.

"Well, given that, guess who is waiting just outside?"

"You have got to be joking." L'tul voiced what seemed to be the consensus.

"Just get your dragons to check with Zenth then."

"No, that's all right." S'lon said. "The question is, do you people want to do this now?"

There was silence then. After a moment S'lon turned to her. "Lytah?"

Now why single her out? "To be honest S'lon? Get it over and done with. I'd rather not let it stew overnight if I don't have to."

"Good point." N'eth said. "Any volunteers to go and get him?"

Lytah resumed her seat with a tight smile. "Natoth, ask Zenth to tell D'kor to come in."

_Zenth is pleased._

The silence was a little awkward, she decided, but that was the only thing that was. No look of apology, of repentance. Slight resignation maybe, as if he expected the worst and there was no mistaking the sense of authority. Oh, yes. Whatever his reasons, D'kor would do exactly the same again.

D'kor finally spoke. "I suppose you are all here because of what I did this morning?"

"Shards no D'kor." T'men had stood, taken a plain glass from a shelf. "Why would you possibly think that?" He returned to the table to pour wine and held it out to him. "Actually, we were discussing N'eth's latest abysmal taste in shirts."

"And what is wrong with my shirts?" Even Lytah had to smile at that as N'eth's expression was priceless. Trust T'men to know what to say to break the ice.

"Oh come on N'eth." B'rak said. "You would have to agree that the pink one is a bit much, even for you."

"I've said it before, it is not pink. Anyway…"

Lytah lost the focus of that perennial argument as D'kor spoke quietly. "Some things never change."

L'tul was closest to him. "But there is a lot that has. So, on behalf of the rest, I will ask. Why?"

"Because of what you are doing right now."

Lytah decided that answer was not really an improvement on the one she had received to the same question.

T'men spoke. "I must be missing something here. How does character assassination of our flight leader work for you?"

"Which actually proves my point. Despite what I did, what you might think of me now, you still invited me in, seem willing to listen to what I have to say."

S'lon spoke. "Which is what?"

"The weyr needed to have some changes made. One of those involved rearrangement of wings. I thought that leading by example would make the rest accept that easier. So I disbanded the only group I knew it would be impossible to break up.

But also in this room are the only people on Pern I truly trust. And yes S'lon, despite earlier words to the contrary, that does include you. With each of you, your loyalty to the weyr is unquestionable, as is your duty to your flight and weyrleaders. And I need those trusted people spread throughout the wings. For one things was shown to me recently, traitors can exist right under our noses and that nearly destroyed Fort.

I do not ask you to work for me, but I do trust you to help me prevent that ever happening again.

I know how I did that this morning was not correct, but it achieved its purpose. Every bronze rider has told me what they thought of my actions, every wingleader condemns how that was done. But they accepted the changes I wanted to make, as well as offer each of you at least five wings each to choose from to join."

There was a long silence then. Interesting, Lytah decided. He still hadn't tasted the wine and stood outside the circle of those sitting at the table. His words indicated that he no longer expected to be part of the group. And not once had he looked at her.

B'rak spoke. "You could have given us some warning lad."

"Yes." D'kor's smile was slight. "But I think it was more convincing as it was." He rubbed his jaw ruefully.

That snapped the last of the tension in the room; conversations broke out all around. Except for herself, she was thinking. She only spoke when she heard B'rak tell N'eth to go to his rooms for another chair.

"No," she said. "B'rak, you are going to throw D'kor out instead."

D'kor was the only one to not look surprised. He was moving to put his glass down on the table. "And that does not mean you just walk out either. You want us to report to you? Well, no-one is going to tell us anything if you are seen to be still part of the group. You cut yourself off and that is the way it will stay.

I will be surprised if your arrival here went unnoticed. So your departure will be cause of comment as well and you have been here long enough I think. Unless there is something else?"

"Actually there is one thing." D'kor reached inside his jacket to pull out a sheath of parchment. "I have lists of the proposed wings and hoped that you would scan them, tell me what you think before I post them tomorrow."

"That we can do." S'lon took them. "Can we get you to sneak back later?"

"I can get Zenth to fly me across to Natoth's weyr."

"It will be less conspicuous if Natoth comes and gets you," Lytah said. "Right B'rak, don't break any bones but don't be too gentle either."

B'rak gave a smile. "Lytah, you're all heart."

"And don't you ever forget that."

Lytah stood and stretched with a yawn. "Could I get rid of you lot now? Knowing my luck I'll have thread fall tomorrow."

"No, that is T'lor's wing," L'tul said, standing himself. "Which I should have remembered before I put my name on his list."

"Lytah." D'kor was the only one to remain seated. "Could I have a word?" He was straightening the stack of sheets in front of him.

"Only if you take off your jacket." That didn't come out the way she meant, given the expressions on those that heard. "I need to change that dressing."

"Are you sure?" She wondered why he looked so uncomfortable. "It is late and it is not causing any problems."

"There's a first B'rak." N'eth had finished stacking the plates on the table. "Lytah finally asks him to get his clothes off and he hesitates."

"And on that note of such good taste, we will leave. See you later."

Lytah looked up from collecting the medical supplies to acknowledge the departure of the last two through her front entrance. She returned to the table a moment later. "Your injury might not be causing any trouble but I am under strict instructions that this gets changed every evening for a full sevendays. After that, you can have it on your own. But I would not disobey orders from Sygull unless they were from the masterhealer himself. Now, stand up and let me get to that bandage."

She smeared a generous amount of ointment onto a wad while he unbuttoned his jacket and untucked his shirt. "What was it you wanted to ask?" she asked as she unwound the cloth.

"Why Ch'dan's wing?"

"Logical choice. The riders of the bronzes from this last hatching will still be too young when Coranth rises and though there are other bronzes, Tanneth and Zenth will be the two main contenders. It would not be a smart move to not have someone in the wing of your main rival."

"But does it have to be you?"

"You were not exactly inundated with volunteers there. Besides, he'd already made the suggestion."

"I bet it won't be the only one." The words were almost a growl.

Lytah straightened from fastening the new bandage, a little surprised. She hadn't expected him to show any emotion, let alone jealousy. "I can handle Ch'dan. I have been a rider of a green for too long not to be able to take care of myself against the suggestions of any blue, brown or even bronze rider who decides they want to try Natoth. Once was one time too many."

"But I thought…"

"Not tonight D'kor. It is, as you said, late after an eventful day. Natoth will take you home."


	7. Tillek problems

A third of a turn, Lytah decided. Probably less if you really thought about it. But it had been last season when the changes occurred and it was hard to remember that it had been any different.

She glanced up to tune back into the conversation between her wingleader and the lord holder of Tillek. They were sitting at the main table with several others from her wing and his hold. She had taken over the small table at the back. Supposedly to be an impartial recorder. Actually she filled in her own journal in the massive amounts of free time she had while this lot ran the same inane arguments around in endless circles. Shards, if she was going to have to spend another day on top of the past three that she had spent here already, then she was going to go insane.

There was nothing different. She stood then and made her way to pour a drink of water. There was something here not quite right, she decided. Not just the terminal boredom, but for some reason she felt tense. Almost, she thought, as if she was right on edge.

That triggered a fit of coughing as she choked on a swallow. At least it gave her an excuse to leave the room, her departure noticeable in the sudden silence. How could she have missed the signs?

Coming out onto the balcony gave her reason why. Natoth was asleep on the sunbaked rocks below and Lytah really had to look hard to identify any change in colour. But sleep was not peaceful, as shown by a twitching tail. So, she was just on the turn.

But Lytah had the dreaded feeling that she was going to be in trouble once her dragon woke. Already two browns and the bronze from her wing stood by, tense and alert. Meeting or no sharding meeting, she was going to have to get out of here. Now.

Fort or Telgar? For the first time there was actually some indecision about the choice.

She would like to go home, the memories of Ierne were more than pleasant, but there was still the problem of how serious would that make the relationship. So to Telgar then. At least she could start working out what Natoth's cycle pattern might be now, which meant that she should be able to give M'con more notice for next time.

She was pulled to a halt when she came around the corner and found a brown rider standing outside her door. "Out of my way G'ret."

"Ch'dan wants you to return to the meeting."

"I will. Later this afternoon."

"He says that you have a duty to your job."

"Be that as it may, my first duty is to my dragon. Then my weyr. After that comes my weyrleader, flightleader and then Ch'dan figures in. You can go and tell him that a higher responsibility calls."

"He knows. And he doesn't want you to leave."

"He what!" The beginning of anger took the edge off the cold fear, until she put a stifle on both. Don't wake Natoth yet. She could definitely fight her way past him, but all that was likely to achieve would be to wake the dragon before she got down to her.

All right then, she would just have to take the flight between without her jacket and gloves. Retracing her steps part of the way, she went down a major passage that led to one set of outside doors. To come to another sudden stop before she had gone too far along. Another of her wing stood lounging against the closed doors in idle conversation with one of the hold personnel.

She took a few steps back to lean against the stones of a small alcove and drew several deep breaths. Pushing down the threat of anger, she focused on finding calm. Trapped huh?

So there was something more insidious to those suggestions, she could kick herself for not taking more serious notice of them. Ch'dan she could handle by herself, but not when he seemed to have added in a few of the wing in support.

Now what? She couldn't get to her dragon, so maybe Natoth could come to her. No, that was not going to work. When the green awoke, she was not going to be interested in rescuing her rider. And Lytah was going to be damned if she was going to let that bronze rider take advantage. Which went for any of the others in her wing. Not one was of the slightest interest to her.

Then what about her ex-wing? Why, she would rather have S'lon than any here. Though it did cross her mind to wonder what D'kor might have to say about this business. But could she reach them from here?

The second door she tried was unlocked and led her into a small empty workroom.

"_Azoth? I think I need help."_

_Lytah?_ The connection was faint; she had to concentrate hard to hold it.

_"Tell N'eth I need Alpha wing. Now."_

But Lytah was unsure if that got through. She spent a few moments wondering if she might barricade herself in this room and wake Natoth. It might then be over with before anyone found her. Then again, it might not.

_Lytah, what is wrong?_ Zenth's thoughts came through strong and clear.

_"Natoth will rise when she wakes and they won't let me go."_

_Azoth says that you are at Tillek hold?_

_"Yes."_

_We are on our way._

Given that, staying hidden was a poor option, especially if the wrong group found her. So, get back into public view, and more hold public than weyr. The meeting hall would be best. Close to the courtyard entrance and an atmosphere to put her to sleep rather than just keep her dragon in that state.

Ch'dan broke from his conversation to turn in his seat to face her. "Are you all right Lytah?"

"Absolutely," she said. "Just a little water that went down the wrong way. Sorry to have to disturbed you." She made her way to her seat. "Did I miss out on anything?"

"No." But the look he gave her was narrow, as if searching for more. Though it looked like G'ret had just been sent to stop her going into her room and had not reported back. Probably not needed as it was going to be fairly obvious when Natoth woke. Lytah opened to a blank page in her journal and focussed on drawing some elaborate patterns.

It seemed to take an age before Henth's thoughts intruded. _We are here._

She stood then, forced herself to walk casually from the room. Though she had to step to one side as a couple of the hold people rushed past. Announcing the new arrivals?

She eventually found a group of four riders waiting in the main entrance hall that led to the courtyard. B'rak stepped forward with open arms as he called to her.

"Lytah! How's this for a surprise?"

Well, she could play along. "Welcome indeed. Though I have to ask as to the reason why?"

"Just what I was wondering myself." She turned back at Ch'dan's voice. He had obviously followed her out.

B'rak had a pained expression then. "Things that exciting around here that you have forgotten it is N'eth's name day? Just don't tell him that though. Anyway, as you were stuck out here, we thought that you might know of a place to take him out for a meal. We'll call him in after we make plans."

Of course. Close as the two green dragons were, Natoth would only see Azoth as a rival at present.

Lytah suddenly felt her knees buckle as a wave of heat washed through, leaving a light-headed feeling. Natoth was awake and it was as Lytah predicted. She felt her dragon's bloodlust rise and hoped that it was not going to be the hold's prized stock that would fall victim to Natoth's need to quench her thirst.

B'rak's arm had moved to around her waist in support. "Lytah?"

She turned into him and spoke low. "If it has to be Tanneth, please don't let it be Ch'dan."

His answer was as much a whisper as her question. "It is not expected for other green riders, it should not be the case for you."

"So this is why I will have to incur the wrath of my weyrleader and woman for leaving their meeting." She looked past B'rak to see D'kor enter through the massive doorway, her feeling of relief almost palatable. His tone might have been light, but even she could not miss the steel edge. "And why Zenth literally threw me off in the courtyard."

He walked past them towards the group that had followed her down from the meeting room, headed for the lord holder. "D'kor, Zenth's rider, flightleader from Fort," he introduced himself. "I apologise for the brevity of the greeting Lord Axenfeld, and also for what is about to occur.

Ch'dan, I will discuss with you later why this has been allowed to happen at a hold rather than the weyr." No trace of pleasantries in that.

"Who called you in?" Ch'dan was obviously not pleased with this turn of events.

"Zenth. A pact was made turns ago that Azoth and Natoth would be looked after by members of the Alpha wing. And even though Alpha has disbanded, the dragons still uphold that promise.

Now Lord Axenfeld, you have a wife and daughters? Then I suggest that you get to them now and lock them away for an hour or so."

Axenfeld was starting to look alarmed. "Just what is about to happen?"

"One of our green dragons is just about to rise to mate. She will be caught by one of the males, maybe a brown but more probably one of the bronzes. When that happens, the emotional backlash will be a little…overwhelming shall we say? It is something that weyr folk have become accustomed to. Not so hold folk, hence my suggestion. You might already feel the tension? I assure you, it is nothing compared to what will be broadcast with their union."

"We will converse later then. My duty to you flightleader."

"And mine to you, Lord holder.

Now, Ch'dan, you can go and make your own arrangements as Tanneth could be lucky. There is no need to worry about Lytah, we will make sure she is looked after."

"I have my duty as her wingleader."

"Which is superseded by my duty to her as her flightleader as well as bound by a promise as her friend." D'kor turned from him in dismissal.

Lytah had been struggling to keep any focus on what had been happening, caught up in her dragon's emotions as she was. Natoth was airborne, exuberant in her flight, her freedom and mockingly scornful of the clumsy males that gave her chase.

Lytah was vaguely aware that T'men spoke. "We have to get somewhere more private."

She fought for coherency. "My room has an adjoining that is empty."

"Perfect." That was D'kor. "You there, steward. Show us to the green rider's room."

"D'kor, you cannot."

Well, Lytah thought, she actually managed to surprise him.

"Ch'dan has to be disciplined."

"On what basis? Technically he has done nothing wrong."

"But he was preventing you from leaving!"

"That was just my interpretation of events. G'ret only asked me to return to the meeting and J'senton may have just been having polite conversation with one of the hold. Natoth's cycles are still not in her usual pattern and even I was caught by her sudden turn. It could be put down to that, my paranoia, that had me believe that Ch'dan was deliberately delaying our return to Fort and had this planned. No-one else could put credence on my accusations, and nor, in hindsight, can I."

"I wouldn't put it past him."

"Quite frankly, nor can I. But any action on your part is only going to be counterproductive. The only interpretation that will be made is that you are trying to get rid of a rival to Zenth. You won, and even if Tanneth had caught Natoth, you would still be seen to have won. Leave it at that. Consider this and any subsequent flights as practice for when Coranth rises. Make sure Zenth learns from each time as Tanneth is as wily as his rider."

"Does that mean that you will not be going to Telgar next time?"

She straightened from pulling on her boots, to then cross to where he was standing. "I think that I have made my preferences known."

His arms stayed around after she broke from a long kiss. "Not before time. But I want you out of his wing."

"Personal feelings aside, there is no reason for that. I am asking you to leave it alone. Besides, V'kai has already approved of my taking leave as of next month when my wing flies thread."

"V'kai? And why are you taking leave? Where are you going?"

"Nowhere. D'kor, there is something that I need to tell you…" But a knock on the door interrupted. "Later."

His regard was unusually serious. "Just how often have you postponed a 'later' to 'never'?"

"This is something that not even I will be able to keep hidden. A little like my dragon's preference for who catches her. Which has nothing to do with rider preference of course."

"Of course." He looked more relaxed as he opened the door to the adjoining room.

L'tul stood aside for them. "Good. Sorry, but Lord Axenfeld wishes a word with you D'kor. He is in the meeting room, Lytah knows where."

D'kor gave a slight grimace. "Can I guess about what?"

The roll of dice stopped as B'rak turned towards them. "D'kor, I have not known of gold – bronze pairings that intense. If anyone in Tillek was unaffected, then they were either dead or comatose."

Lytah swore under her breath. D'kor was more vocal.

T'men spoke. "If it helps, I don't think Axenfeld was too upset, judging the messenger's reaction."

"Still, I had better go now. Where's S'lon?" So D'kor had also noticed he was the only one missing.

L'tul answered. "He's just left to made some enquiries about a place around here that might serve good seafood."

D'kor looked surprised. "Why is he doing that?"

Lytah spoke. "That is why this lot are all here. Came for a visit so that the old Alpha wing can celebrate N'eth's nameday."

"Ah, interesting ploy. But just a question, do we have enough marks between us? I know that I left in a bit of a hurry."

A look around the room indicated a similar situation for the others. Lytah reached inside her satchel even knowing that she only carried one or two herself. She stopped when she touched something else. Now that might work. "Leave it with me. D'kor, a word while we find the Lord holder and this lot get ready to go out soon. I know that I am hungry."

"For seafood Lytah?" B'rak's look of innocence was actually quite good she thought.

She returned his smile. "All I can hope is that my appetite for fish can be dealt with as effectively."

B'rak was not the only one laughing as she closed the door behind her and D'kor.

D'kor fell into step beside her. "Am I allowed to ask as to what that was about?"

She almost said "Later," before she thought better of it. "You don't think that I get left out of any discussions about our little group's sexual activities, do you? Though at least they don't get involved in doing anything about my perceived lack."

"Ah."

She gave a smile at his expression. "We can continue this discussion later if you wish, but for the moment there is something else. While I would never give away the first pearl you gave me, I do have the one you found for my last nameday. Would you mind if I used that to buy an evening's celebration?"

"It is yours to do with as you wish, why should I mind? But there is nothing special about the first."

"No? Just how much trouble did it cost you in getting it? That in itself justifies its worth."

"Thank you. But apart from N'eth's supposed nameday, is there anything else we are celebrating?"

"There is something that I am hoping will be cause for celebration. We do have to talk, but not just now." For they had arrived at the meeting room. She led the way in.

Lord Axenfeld was there with his wife Cassia. As D'kor moved forward to greet the lord, Lytah headed for the lady. It was rare indeed that Lytah could strike up a rapport with anyone who was not a rider, especially a woman. This was one.

Cassia walked forward to meet her. "Well Lytah, that was an interesting experience."

"I offer my deepest apologies…" But she was cut off with a wave of a hand before Cassia pulled her to the side.

"Don't. In fact, you have done me a service by reminding me why it was that I chose to be wife to Axenfeld. As well as reminding him that there are other duties to that of lord holder ones."

"But the problems I caused."

"Will be dealt with as they arise, as always. Now come, introduce me to this flightleader of yours. Definitely easier on the eye than your wingleader." A moment during which Cassia seemed to be listening to the conversation between the two men. She leant close to whisper in Lytah's ear. "Easier on the ears too."

"Cassia." Axenfeld called as they approached. "This is D'kor, rider of bronze Zenth, flightleader of Fort."

"Greetings D'kor. It is nice to be able to put a face to the name." Lytah was more than aware of D'kor's look of query to her at that. "Yet my husband has informed me that you and your friends have arrived for celebration. And subsequently given us cause for one too."

"My duty to you Lady Cassia and thank you for accepting the disturbance with such good grace."

"That sort of disturbance I approve of anytime. Yet there is a nameday for one of your group? Then may I offer you our hold's hospitality to host a private party for you all?"

"I would not put you to so much trouble."

"No trouble at all flightleader. You would, in fact, be doing me honour. I have heard a great deal about this Alpha wing of yours and you would be allowing my curiosity to be satisfied."

Axenfeld entered the discussion. "I echo those sentiments. And assure you that nowhere in Tillek will you find a better serving of food, of both sea and land."

Lytah could tell from D'kor's serious regard that this matter was going to be discussed between them later. For the moment there was only his question. "So, what say you green rider?"

"The hospitality of the Lord and Lady holder of Tillek is one that should not be passed up lightly."

"Then it would be ill-mannered of me to refuse. On behalf of the members of the disbanded Alpha wing, I accept with gratitude your gracious offer with the hope that reality does not disappoint you."

Cassia clapped her hands in apparent delight. "Good! And you will all stay the night? To enjoy celebrations fully?"

D'kor shook his head. "That is asking far too much."

"Nonsense. Then that is settled. Now come Lytah, we have work to do."

That caught Lytah unprepared. "Pardon Cassia?"

"We can allow gentlemen to wear uniform to such a function but a lady may not. We have to find you a suitable dress and do something with your hair."

"A dress?" Lytah said. She then glared at D'kor on his muffled noise and decided that she was going to hit him if he actually laughed. His indication then was that he had no intention of saying anything even if obviously amused. "Cassia, I am no lady."

"Tonight you will be and I will broker no argument."

If this was a small private function, then Lytah didn't think that she wanted to know what a large one would be like. There must be over fifty people in the room, including those of her current and ex wings.

Axenfeld was right, the food at Tillek was some of the best she'd ever had and went well with some of their darker wines. She was actually one who enjoyed some of the stronger, more robust local produce. Due to the more acid soil here as compared to the lighter ones of Benden. But, she decided ruefully, it was going to be a while before she indulged fully in either. Instead she wandered around the room with the same glass she had started with, only occasionally taking a sip. It did get put down once in a while for a slow dance or two, again regretfully, leaving the more energetic jigs to others.

She had been standing here to the side for a little while now, watching the people. And one thing was becoming increasingly clear. Her current wingleader was not happy to have members of her old wing here. A situation that could only fester into problems once they got back home if allowed to continue.

The glass was put down with a sigh. So she could not allow it to continue. A word was needed with Ch'dan then. Not likely to be the most amicable she had had with him, but she needed to clear the air and now was going to be better than later.

She headed across to where he was standing apart from the others, all the while trying to work out how to ask him to walk outside with her without it being misconstrued.

D'kor was confused, a situation he found he did not like in the slightest. His relationship with Lytah could never be described as normal at the best of times and he was at a loss to work out what it was now. On one hand he got the impression that she approved of the level they had found themselves on, but that only seemed to apply outside the weyr. Back home it was a different story and she could never be pinned down long enough to discuss anything remotely personal. And if it wasn't for Natoth's seeming preference for Zenth, he may not even have got as far as he had.

He had taken a break from the feasting and dancing to find a moment for quiet reflection. But it had not helped, for this place was neither quiet nor reflective. He had just straightened with the thought that he might go for a walk outside, when he noticed that someone else had obviously had the same idea. Lytah. But why on earth was she going with Ch'dan? He felt his earlier thoughts when he noticed her heading to him a few minutes ago, darken. There was something going on here and he was going to find out what. How could she say on one hand the she was glad he was here and then go out of her way to defend Ch'dan? And now she was going outside with her wingleader when she had been avoiding her flightleader all evening.

D'kor was so focused in his crossing of the room that he almost ran into Cassia as she stopped in front of him. And though he wanted to be elsewhere, it would not be proper form to leave the Lady holder. He resigned himself to the change of plans even as he offered courteous greeting. Lytah would have to wait. Though not for long.

"Ah, D'kor. A moment of your time please. There is a slight problem of protocol I wish to discuss with you if I may?"

"Certainly Lady, if I can be of service."

"Please call me Cassia, as I hope you forgive me calling you D'kor. But I have heard so many words of you in these last few days that I feel we are old friends."

That was something D'kor found surprising. Cassia could only be referring to Lytah and he was unaware that the green rider had friends outside the weyr. Outside of Alpha wing, he would have even gone as far to suggest.

"Again, I would hope to live up to expectations. So, how can I help you?"

"I understand that children of hall and hold can foster at the weyr. But do children of dragon riders foster away from the weyr?"

"During a Pass, certainly. The whole occupation of the weyr is to keep dragon and rider in the air so there is little time to focus on children. It normally depends on the mother's weyr duties as she has sole responsibility if the father is a rider."

"And if the mother is a rider?"

D'kor had to think on that. He could not remember exactly how many children Nalaya had, but he was almost certain that none of them were at the weyr. "Then weyr responsibility usually means fostering."

"So on the understanding that you are now in charge of Fort weyr, it is to you that I seek to offer fostering?"

"V'kai is weyrleader, I am only second in command. But I can still be spoken to regarding such matters."

"Then at some later stage I would like to discuss with you about the possibility of fostering one of your rider's children. Of course I will have more discussions with Lytah before making a more formal application."

D'kor just felt the ground fall out from under him. It seemed to take an awful long time before he felt that he was thinking again.

He noticed Cassia's strange regard. "D'kor?"

"My apologies Cassia, you have given me news I was unaware of. Do I understand you correctly? Lytah is with child?"

"I understand that she has successfully passed the first trimester. Which is good news for her and her wingleader."

So her wingleader was the father. D'kor found it a hard fight to stay calm. Well, that certainly explained a few things. He fought the rise of anger to try for a civilized departure. "Then certainly approach Fort when you think it appropriate. Now please excuse me Cassia. There is something I need to attend to."

D'kor turned and strode from the room. T'men looked surprised as D'kor almost pushed him out of the entrance doorway, but D'kor was almost too preoccupied to notice.

"_Zenth!"_

_Yes D'kor?_

_"The courtyard. Now. We are leaving."_

_But D'kor…_

_"I said now!"_

Lytah had only just given a mental sigh to a relatively successful discussion with Ch'dan, when Natoth's worried thoughts intruded. _Lytah, what happened?_

It could not have been this meeting just now. "_What do you mean?"_

_Zenth has just left Tillek and he says that he has never seen D'kor so furious. He was wondering if I knew anything._

Now what? D'kor had some interesting mood swings of late, and it was her that was supposed to be dealing with hormonal changes. She wondered what this one was about as she couldn't immediately bring to mind anything she had done wrong. Not that that meant a great deal.

_"I cannot help you. Though ask Zenth to let me know when I might have a quiet talk with him. Meanwhile, I will see if anything happened here to upset his rider."_

It took her a good few minutes and several short conversations for her to find out that D'kor had last spoken to the Lady holder. But she had to sit down and accept the juice Cassia pushed on her once she heard what they had discussed.

The liquid eased a suddenly dry mouth. "Cassia, you used the term wingleader?"

"I know you mentioned no names, just that the father was a rider, but I am sure you said that."

Lytah swore under her breath and Cassia started to look even more worried. "Lytah, what is wrong? Have I done something I should not have?"

"No Cassia, you are not to blame. It is just that I hadn't yet got around to telling D'kor that I am having his child."

"D'kor? Is he not your flightleader?"

"At the time I was just getting used to the idea of him being my wingleader and I still tend to think in those terms. Unfortunately D'kor himself is going to come up with Ch'dan, as my current wingleader. Which might explain his anger. Unless you can think of anything else?"

"No. Lytah, I haven't caused you any problems, have I?"

"Of course not. Any problems are my fault for procrastinating with the news. But I was told that things may not be certain until I at least got through Natoth's flight. I had planned on speaking to D'kor this evening. It will be a slightly different conversation now."

"You are heading back to Fort this evening?"

Lytah gave a slight smile. "There is not a lot of point actually. D'kor is likely to be more rational in the morning."

_I think we should go now._

_"Why is that Natoth?"_

_Zenth believes that it will be counterproductive to not sort it out straight away. D'kor is not one for whom letting a problem brew, works well._

_"Be that as it may dear heart. I still need time to work out what I am going to say."_

Lytah had planned on staying for the month, to see out her duties until threadfall for her wing. That expectation lasted just one sevenday.

She stood in the dining room of Fort and decided that if she actually tried to move, then she might fall instead. The only part of her that didn't feel numb was her mind, and not for the first time did she wonder why she was cursed with that ability. To remain calm and clear when all she wanted to do was scream at something. Or someone.

"Lytah." N'eth sounded as surprised as he felt herself. "I'm sorry. I really thought that you had been exaggerating."

She was amazed that when she could find her voice, it actually sounded normal. "I wish that it was so. Still, I suppose it is a relief in one way that I am right in that D'kor is ignoring me."

"Ignoring you!" N'eth sounded outraged as he took her by the arm to push her to sit on a nearby bench. "He acted then as if you didn't exist, as if he hadn't heard you."

"Nothing new in that. But I had to test it in public, to see how badly our relationship has been damaged. Pretty total, I would say."

"I wouldn't go quite that far."

"No? But then you have always been more optimistic than me. I'll go this afternoon though, I don't really need the public humiliation."

"To Benden hold?"

"I've decided not. As much as I like my aunt, I don't think I can cope with her for this situation. I'm accepting Cassia's invitation. So I would ask you and the others of Alpha to bring some of my stuff when you visit once I've settled. Which is why I am not bothering with good byes. I expect to see you all. Well, with one exception."

"And what do you want us to say if he asks?"

"I don't expect him to. D'kor has a very stubborn streak, as do I. He believes I have wronged him and I don't think that I have. Where is the ground for compromise there? But maybe it is for the best. Fort is likely to be better off without me."

"Not true. But you are coming back though?"

"N'eth, to be honest, I'm not thinking much beyond this next turn. But there is the possibility of going to Telgar. I might be able to give up Fort but I could never give up being a rider. Now, I must go and see V'kai."

She took comfort in his crushing embrace, fought hard the threat of tears.


End file.
